A Haunting in Venice

Kenneth Branagh directs his latest outing as Agatha Christie’s Poirot. Poirot (Branagh) is retired to Venice, protected from the desperate, seeking his help, by former policeman Vitale (Riccardo Scamarcio). That’s until old friend and author Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) comes to visit and invites Hercule to a séance at a local “haunted” Palazzo. A chance to meet famed medium Mrs. Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh) and prove her a fraud. Reynold’s “customer” is Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly) a mother who mourns the loss of her daughter. The scene is set, a stormy night in a haunted house, a grieving mother desperate for contact with her daughter and a mystery to solve for a reluctant detective. But the mystery takes a twist when a murder occurs, is it angry spirits? Or is there a killer at the séance? it’s up to Poirot to find out.

Full disclosure, I’m a sucker for a murder mystery and I really enjoy Branagh as Poirot and after the disappointing Death on the Nile, Haunting was a return to form that did not disappoint.

Haunting plays well with its “other worldy” premise, building tension in a “hammer house” old school manner with ghostly voices, movements in the shadows and mysterious bangs and crashes. Supported by its atmospheric score.

While the mystery is perhaps no real surprise it’s delivered well by its strong cast. Which, alongside its main protagonists features good support from Jamie Dornan, Camille Cotton and Jude Hill as precocious youngster Leo. All allowing Branagh to have plenty of fun again as the famous detective.

I am a fan of Branagh’s Poirot so was already well disposed to this and wasn’t disappointed. The setting is sumptuous, the story suitably spooky and a star studied cast deliver an enjoyable old school whodunnit. It may not be a classic but I found it a really enjoyable, atmospheric murder mystery.