To be honest, I went into this movie with scepticism. Like so many other Christie fans, I've read the book, there was going to be no mystery for me to solve as the movie progressed.
The only advantages of watching it were the obvious HD quality, and Johnny Depp; the latter more than the former.
And so I sat through the movie, and came out subdued. For this isn't just a plain old 'whodunit' as my younger self remembered it, it is a tale of right versus wrong, of moral ambiguity, and the grey areas in life that have no universal solution.
The acting was predictably on point, what with such a star studded cast. It is slightly disconcerting how Depp can portray a vile character with so much panache and still come out with the sympathy of the audience. Which is probably something Agatha wouldn't approve.
Speaking of things she wouldn't approve, all those efforts at making out more politically correct (read: racism, feminism) did not go unnoticed; but in today's climate, one learns to see past it.
It makes a refreshing change to see conflict in the Belgian detective, while still strictly remaining in character. Find all the fault you want with Branagh, that moustache was perfectly executed. Some might argue he overdid it, but the little detective was never a person to fly under your radar, especially if things were not to his liking.
The ultimate summary of the tale came in the from of two lines of dialogue, a couple of hours apart; and that was enough for me to enjoy this movie for what it was.
The most important aspect of the movie is the character development of Hercule Poirot himself, which is a very rare (read: it never happens) occurrence even in the books. The Poirot we all know and love is a strict man of rules, etiquette, and discipline who knows exactly what he wants in life.
"There is right. There is wrong. There is no in-between."
Classic Poirot. He had a perfectly fixed moral compass that bordered on the obsessive. But the events of two days was enough to make him rethink what he had learnt through the entire course of his colourful career. We see him struggle with the greyness of the situation, the morals, the implications, the lives it would cost; and ultimately come to a conclusion that meant more for him personally than it did for the passengers on the train.
"There was right. There was wrong. Then there was you. I can not judge you for this."
And so I sat through the movie, and came out subdued. For this isn't just a plain old 'whodunit' as my younger self remembered it, it is a tale of right versus wrong, of moral ambiguity, and the grey areas in life that have no universal solution.
The acting was predictably on point, what with such a star studded cast. It is slightly disconcerting how Depp can portray a vile character with so much panache and still come out with the sympathy of the audience. Which is probably something Agatha wouldn't approve.
Speaking of things she wouldn't approve, all those efforts at making out more politically correct (read: racism, feminism) did not go unnoticed; but in today's climate, one learns to see past it.
It makes a refreshing change to see conflict in the Belgian detective, while still strictly remaining in character. Find all the fault you want with Branagh, that moustache was perfectly executed. Some might argue he overdid it, but the little detective was never a person to fly under your radar, especially if things were not to his liking.
The ultimate summary of the tale came in the from of two lines of dialogue, a couple of hours apart; and that was enough for me to enjoy this movie for what it was.
The most important aspect of the movie is the character development of Hercule Poirot himself, which is a very rare (read: it never happens) occurrence even in the books. The Poirot we all know and love is a strict man of rules, etiquette, and discipline who knows exactly what he wants in life.
"There is right. There is wrong. There is no in-between."
Classic Poirot. He had a perfectly fixed moral compass that bordered on the obsessive. But the events of two days was enough to make him rethink what he had learnt through the entire course of his colourful career. We see him struggle with the greyness of the situation, the morals, the implications, the lives it would cost; and ultimately come to a conclusion that meant more for him personally than it did for the passengers on the train.
"There was right. There was wrong. Then there was you. I can not judge you for this."