REVIEW: Spooky season setting boosts ‘A Haunting in Venice’

After two underwhelming films, the third time appears to have been the charm for the modern Hercule Poirot series.

Based on another one of Agatha Christie’s stories, “A Haunting in Venice” finds inspector Poirot retired from detective work. Played by Kenneth Branagh, who also directs, Poirot is now living in the titular city a few years removed from investigating. That is until he he meets up with friend and author Ariadne (Tina Fey).

A mystery author, Ariadne is planning to attend a séance to gather some inspiration for future works, and she invites Poirot to come along. The inspector is skeptical at first about the whole situation, but decides to tag along. During the event, a mysterious death takes place, and it forces Poirot to exit his retirement on a spooky Halloween night.

Both “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile” were average at best. There was a feeling that there needed to be something more, another ingredient to give them a kick. Turns out, that ingredient is Halloween.

The spooky setting on Halloween with the potential of paranormal elements adds another layer of fun to this Hercule Poirot adventure. A fun spark of energy is added to the typical murder mystery mix that makes this entry more enjoyable.

The skeptical detective Poirot being put to a paranormal test is also a unique factor that adds to some intrigue not seen before in this series. There are some ghostly moments that confront Hercule, making the matter more entertaining.

Additionally, this is a mystery where Poirot is a bit off his game. Not only is he picking up the role of detective after some time off, the house he’s investigating in seems to be playing some tricks with his mind. It’s another element that adds some freshness to the Agatha Christie formula.

With that said, that formula is still there and a bit noticeable. The whodunit bottle style is a classic storytelling format, but sometimes it can make films in the genre all feel the same. With “A Haunting in Venice,” even with some unique aspects, the movie doesn’t really throw any curveballs and goes down a typical structure.

“Haunting” is benefited, though, by its lead performance from Branagh. He continues to give the character Poirot a lot of personality, especially in this flick where the film digs more into the detective’s psyche than previous installments.

The supporting cast, meanwhile, had its ups and downs. Michelle Yeoh was certainly a good addition and had some of the best moments. Tina Fey, though, felt sorely out of place in this period piece.

The latest Poirot film, even with its issues, is still the best of these modern entries. It’s an entertaining murder mystery with a fun Halloween atmosphere, ultimately making it worth checking out. 3.5 out of 5.