From the mind of legendary mystery writer, Agatha Christie, “Murder on the Orient Express” follows Hercule Peroue, perhaps the greatest detective on the planet, as he take a train across Europe. There is a violent murder in the middle of the night of a violent and hated gangster. As the investigation goes on, Peroue finds multiple people with adequate motives and opportunities and this keeps the audience in the dark as to who the culprit is the entire film.

“Murder on the Orient Express” is a mystery and a drama but it does have its comical moments. Because of the quirkiness of the detective, there are some lines and situations that provide a fantastic relief from the murder investigation. There are some very heavy emotional moments throughout the course of the movie and these quick jokes make them feel more meaningful.

This movie was done well in basically every aspect. The story itself was amazing and complex with a satisfying ending. As well as that, it is beautifully acted. Every actor involved provided a convincing and interesting performance. Kenneth Branagh perfectly captured the character of Peroue with all his nervous tics and habits. Daisy Ridley, Michelle Pfeiffer and Josh Gad all really stood out. That’s not to say that others in the cast were not superb, but they seemed to be on a higher level, just from the amount of screen time they got and the amount of effort put into the portrayal of their characters.

Of course, credit must be given again to Kenneth Branagh for beautifully directing it. There are some very long continuous shots that are visually beautiful. Branagh has a real eye for the camera and it certainly shows. The film is an hour and 54 minutes but it is paced very well and does not feel anywhere near as long.