Murder On The Orient Express [DVD]

Fundamentally 21st Century Movies of the 2010s and 2020s make me sick. My favorite franchises are all dead now- destoryed by baby boomer directors, and I am not going back. Have almost give up on movies- but I saw this one, and I am very happy with it. It is not the greatest movie one can see but it is more than adiquate. It is another version of Murder on the Orient Express, and whether you have seen the others or not you should like this one. I am not an Agatha Christie superfan, so perhaps it is deeply deficient in some ways invisible to the casual observer, but for a mystery dilitant like me it is very entertaining. If you watch it and do not like it I will disavow any knowledge of ever talking about this film.

Love it

I ended up loving this film. It didn't start out that way. I never read the book and nor did I see the original film, so perhaps that played a part in my generous review. I didn't have anything to compare it to, but I am aware that in general nothing ever truly pales in comparison with an original film or book, so you have to check that mindset at the door if you're going to watch a remake. I did try to watch the original, but never got through it. I will try again now that I've seen this one.This was an interesting film, because for me it started off rather bland. I'd say the first half of this film is three stars, but then as it gets closer to the middle and all the way until the end it improves and starts to grow exciting. It gradually builds like a runaway train all the way to the end, so the second half really redeemed itself for me making this an enjoyable film. The stars were being added as the movie progressed.The five stars is also for the ambiance and beautiful scenery to the point that it makes me want to sip champagne and ride a train through the countryside. The criticisms I have about this are over the first half. There is way too much of Kenneth Branagh and it isn't even that interesting. He directed this and unsurprisingly gave himself the biggest part. That was a mistake. I assumed that part would've been given to Johnny Depp, who was hardly in this, yet his name is on the marquee. Branagh should've switched roles with Depp. The second negative was he casts these incredible greats like Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Judi Dench, and Penelope Cruz, yet under utilizes them. That's the biggest crime of this film. Branagh should've cut some of the other parts down from the supporting roles, including his, and upped the scenes with those four great movie star actors. What a tragedy that he would cast those four and still have the majority of scenes devoted to him.However, the stand out performance for me ended up being Michelle Pfeiffer, who of course is always great in whatever she's in, but her performance in this also gradually builds dramatically as the film progresses to an incredible star turning surprising scene. Those who've seen this know which section I'm talking about. She managed to take a small part and hit it out of the ballpark. Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, and Penelope Cruz are also always great, but sadly underused in this and didn't have any scene stealing scenes the way Pfeiffer did.Regardless, in the end I ended up loving this film overall, because it grew surprisingly interesting once it got over the sleepy first half. Then it just accelerated as fast as it could go until the end. The DVD has some wonderful extras including a 20 minute documentary surrounding Agatha Christie. This is an adult drama mystery, with little suspense. If it's a lazy rainy Sunday with nothing to do, then sitting through this film absorbing its atmosphere is not a bad way to spend the time.

It's 1934, and the great detective, Hercule Poirot, is in Jerusalem, running the hotel chef through his paces trying to find two perfectly matched eggs. The search is interrupted by the police Chief Inspector. A relic has been stolen from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and Poirot is needed to find the culprit and avoid a riot. It takes Poirot 10 minutes to solve the case, after which he takes a ferry to Stamboul, because "I have earned myself a little holiday."But it is not to be. Her Majesty's Foreign Service finds him, and Poirot must get on the next Venice Simplon Orient Express train back to Calais, and from there back to London where he's sorely needed. Maybe he can get in some relaxing time on the train?Wrong again. Because one of his fellow passengers, the rough-edged Edward Ratchett, is killed on the first night. As he gathers clues, Poirot finds that there are too many of them! Most unusual. But then the other passengers are an unusual lot.I knew the plot of this movie before viewing it, as I've read the Agatha Christie book and I've seen other filmed versions. I hadn't been too impressed with the latter and didn't have high hopes for this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. Touches of humor have been added. Kenneth Branagh's Poirot is less cranky than the usual Poirot and though he doesn't meet the expected body type and visage, he meets my expectations of incisive brain-work and his "moustaches" are truly a work of art.In addition to recommending the movie, I recommend watching it a second time with the Commentary Track by Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green, screenwriter. I'm a fan of a good commentary track, and this one was fun to listen to.If you buy the movie on disc, you have these audio and subtitle options:Audio: English Descriptive Audio, Spanish, FrenchSubtitles: English, SpanishThe subtitles are also available on the Bonus Features:...A... Commentary by Kenneth Branagh and Michael Green. Early on, Green points out that "Agatha Christie always describes Hercule Poirot's facial appendages in the plural as 'mustaches'." That's what lead to the two-tier approach they took to Poirot's mustache, and I think it meets the spirit and looks great. This is the first time I've seen Poirot with a soul patch, though....B... "Agatha Christie: An Intimate Portrait" (19 minutes)...C... "Let's Talk About Hercule Poirot" (10 minutes)...D... Deleted Scenes (17 minutes) Watch 13 deleted scenes, with or without commentary by Branagh and Green....E... Photo Gallery (3 minute on slideshow)...F... PSA. A non-smoking public service ad"There is right. There is wrong. There is nothing in between."Poirot's own words, and this is the case where he has to eat them.Happy Reader

Los materiales de la caja y el disco cumplen las expectativas, sin embargo compre la peli por buenas reseñas que habia leido, pero el desarrollo de los eventos se me hicieron regular.

Não é da zona brasileira de reprodução

Really liked it, quality shot film; on par with older versions.

The film was as good as expected. Unfortunately the sheet which accompanied the film was in polish language which do not understand.

Ordered foreign version in error