Death on the Nile is an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery novel of the same name. The film basically follows the book plot whose main character and sleuth is Hercule Poirot. Hercule Poirot is portrayed by Kenneth Branaugh on screen who also directs the film. The movie has several other familiar faces: Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman) as heiress Linnett Ridgeway, Letitia Wright (Marvel’s Black Panther) as Rosalie Otterbach and Annette Bening (Bouc’s mother) as Euphemia. The film also stars Tom Bateman, Russell Brand, Ali Fazzal, Armie Hammer, Dawn French, Rose Leslie, Emma McKay, Sophie Okenedo and Jennifer Saunders.
The movie is a sequel to Murder on the Orient Express as Hercule Poirot is traveling the world on holiday. In the very beginning, Poirot is shown as a soldier during World War I. He is injured after a bomb mutilates his face. His fiancee, who is a nurse, tells him to grow a mustache to hide the scars; thus, explaining his elaborate mustache he sports throughout his life. This part of the film has absolutely nothing to do with the plot, but it does give insight of the main character to the viewer.
Fast forward to 1937 at a London club where Poirot listens to singer, Salome Otterbach, perform and observes the crowd. He watches Jackie de Bellefort dancing passionately with her fiancé Simon Doyle. Jackie’s childhood friend, heiress Linnet Ridgeway, joins them at the club. When she is introduced to Simon, it is evident that sparks fly immediately, and they dance provocatively, all of which Poirot sees.
Six weeks later, Poirot travels to Egypt where he runs into his friend Bouc and his mother, Euphemia, who is a painter. Bouc invites Poirot to join them at a hotel to celebrate the wedding of a surprising couple – Linnet and Simon. A host of others are in attendance at the party. When Linnet meets Poirot and finds out his profession, she asks him to protect them from Jackie, who has stalked them on their travels. Linnet tells Poirot she does not trust any of her guests either. Jackie has arranged for a cruise ship to take the wedding party on a cruise down the Nile River on which Poirot is included. Many strange occurrences happen on the group’s excursions and on the ship. Unfortunately, one morning, Linnet was found in her stateroom dead by a gunshot to the head, and a valuable necklace was stolen. The rest of the trip is filled with twists and turns to figure out who was the killer in classic Agatha Christie fashion.
Death on the Nile is an enjoyable movie. If you have read the book, you already know the outcome of the mystery. The movie was another victim of delays caused by Covid-19. It was released internationally in February of 2022 and well-received. Death on the Nile may have moved out of the theater at this date, but deserves a viewing on streaming venues. Overall, I give Death on the Nile 5 stars because who doesn’t love a good mystery.
