Review of Murder on the Orient Express (2017) by Lane Z — 02 Feb 2018

I never saw the original, but color me intrigued when I saw the star studded lineup for Kenneth Branagh's remake. Actor and director of his own film, Branagh's take is too chaotic and unfocused to deliver any real kicks outside of managing to get all these star-studded actors together. The twist of the film comes so far from left field due to the plot's inability to establish any background on 12 different faces.

Unfotunately, the tone of the film is unclear from the beginning because of Branagh's acting style choice. Is this a crime caper with comedy? It felt like a National Treasure or The Mummy happy-go-lucky opening with a following over the next two hours as serious and as drama filled as Gone Baby Gone.

It started fun and jovial and then turned heavy handed multiple times throughout. But with so many characters involved with such clout in the industry, only a handful were really only going to get the true focus all of them should have gotten.