Name: A Haunting in Venice
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Released: 2023-09-13T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey

The séance begins with a flickering candle, casting long shadows across the crumbling Venetian palazzo. Kenneth Branagh’s A Haunting in Venice opens with a promise of gothic intrigue, but that initial tension dissipates faster than the mist on the canals.

Branagh directs this third Hercule Poirot outing with a heavy hand, leaning into Agatha Christie’s formula without adding much of his own. The film follows the retired detective (Branagh) as he’s lured back to sleuthing when a séance at a decaying palazzo turns deadly. The ensemble cast—including Tina Fey as Ariadne Oliver and Michelle Yeoh as the medium Joyce Reynolds—brings some spark, but the script by Michael Green feels stitched together from familiar Christie tropes.

What works is the film’s commitment to balancing mystery with supernatural horror. The underground chamber filled with skeletal remains of plague-ridden children is a standout set piece, dripping with atmosphere and genuine unease. Jude Hill’s performance as Leopold Ferrier, haunted by the voices of the dead, adds emotional depth to what could have been a rote whodunit.

But the pacing drags in the first act, and Branagh’s camera lingers too long on the palazzo’s dark corners without making them feel purposeful. The murder mystery itself is cleverly constructed—Poirot’s deductions are satisfying—but the film’s attempts at horror fall flat. The ghosts and apparitions lack weight, reduced to jump scares rather than something truly chilling.

The performances are the film’s strongest suit. Fey and Yeoh have a delightful chemistry, playing off each other with wit and menace. Branagh, though, feels miscast as Poirot once again. His mustache-twirling portrayal lacks the nuance of Christie’s original detective, relying too much on exaggerated mannerisms.

A Haunting in Venice isn’t without its charms—it’s entertaining enough for fans of the genre—but it never rises above being a competent, if uninspired, mystery.

The film’s setting in Venice is one of its few standout elements. The canals and crumbling architecture provide a rich backdrop, but Branagh fails to fully exploit the city’s eerie beauty. Instead of using Venice as an active character—like Don’t Look Now or The Comfort of Strangers—the film treats it as little more than a postcard. The palazzo, while atmospheric, becomes a claustrophobic box that the characters (and audience) are trapped in for too long.

The supporting cast fares better than Branagh’s Poirot. Camille Cottin as Olga Seminoff and Jamie Dornan as Dr. Leslie Ferrier bring texture to their roles, making even the most one-dimensional guests feel grounded. Tina Fey’s Ariadne Oliver steals every scene she’s in, her dry wit cutting through the gothic gloom.

The film’s biggest misstep is its pacing. The first act feels sluggish, with too much time spent on exposition and not enough on the central mystery. Once the murder occurs, the investigation moves at a brisker clip, but by then it’s too late to fully engage the audience. The slow start also makes the film’s 103-minute runtime feel longer than it is.

The mystery itself is well-constructed, with Poirot’s deductions leading to a satisfying reveal. However, the supernatural elements never coalesce into something truly unsettling. The ghosts and apparitions are more of an afterthought than a driving force, leaving the horror aspects feeling tacked on rather than integral to the story.

A Haunting in Venice is clearly aimed at fans of Christie’s mysteries and gothic thrillers. If you’re looking for a clever whodunit with a few frights thrown in, this film will suffice. But if you’re hoping for something truly haunting or innovative, you’ll be left wanting more.

The film’s themes—grief, guilt, and the lingering trauma of war—are explored but never fully realized. Dr. Leslie Ferrier’s backstory as a traumatized war veteran adds depth to the narrative, but it’s a subplot that could have been mined for even greater emotional resonance.

Comparisons to Branagh’s previous Poirot adaptations are inevitable. Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile benefited from their confined settings and larger-than-life casts. A Haunting in Venice, while not without merit, lacks the same level of polish and narrative drive. It’s a step down from its predecessors, but not a complete misfire.

The film’s production values are solid, with costumes and set design evoking the post-war era effectively. The cinematography is serviceable, though Branagh’s direction often feels too safe, relying on standard shots rather than pushing the visual language in any meaningful way.

In the end, A Haunting in Venice is a film that knows its audience but fails to elevate itself beyond the familiar. It’s a competent mystery with moments of genuine intrigue, but it never fully commits to being either a terrifying horror film or a gripping detective story.