Cinema Chills: A Haunting in Venice Unveiled

In cinema and movies, enter ‘A Haunting in Venice,’ the third act in Kenneth Branagh’s brilliant Agatha Christie adaptation saga.

Enter ‘A Haunting in Venice,’ the third act in Kenneth Branagh’s brilliant Agatha Christie adaptation saga. Just when you thought Hercule Poirot (played by the ever-talented Branagh himself) had hung up his detective hat for good, he’s lured back into the enigmatic world of cinema and movie murder and mystery.

Cinematic Venice: A Tale of Movies

The movie opens with a hauntingly beautiful Venice, bathed in the soft hues of dawn, devoid of people, and filled with an eerie calm. But as quickly as the sense of unease sets in, it’s whisked away by the city’s bustling life. Mail carriers, nuns, students, and everyday folks flood the streets, each contributing their unique thread to Venice’s vibrant tapestry. The film employs a mix of perspectives, from traditional landscapes to overhead shots and high angles, to keep these seemingly ordinary scenes continually engaging. This tableau sets the stage for one of the film’s central themes: Venice, a “gorgeous relic slowly sinking away into the sea.”

Struggling to sell one multi-million dollar home currently on the market won’t stop actress and singer Jennifer Lopez from expanding her property collection. Lopez has reportedly added to her real estate holdings an eight-plus acre estate in Bel-Air anchored by a multi-level mansion. The property, complete with a 30-seat screening room, a 100-seat theatre and a swimming pond with a sandy beach and outdoor shower, was asking about $40 million, but J. Lo managed to make it hers for $28 million. As the Bronx native acquires a new home in California, she is trying to sell a gated compound.

But the real story starts with the arrival of Detective Poirot’s old pal and crime novelist, Ariadne Oliver (played by Tina Fey, in an unexpected departure from her usual comedy roles). She’s trying to convince Poirot to attend a Halloween party hosted by the generous philanthropist Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly). The catch? Drake plans to hold a seance to connect with her deceased daughter, who met a mysterious demise by falling into the canals from her bedroom balcony. Ariadne sees this soirée as her muse’s playground and implores Poirot to join her, citing their enduring friendship as leverage.

As Halloween night descends upon Venice, the tone of the movie morphs. The initial festivities give way to an unsettling atmosphere. Fireworks illuminate the city’s skyline, but the joyous screams of children soon transform into spine-chilling echoes. The Drake mansion, ornately decorated, becomes a place of inexplicable occurrences, including falling chandeliers, eerie child-like humming in the background, and inexplicable wall leaks. The house feels almost haunted, setting the stage for a more intense, suspenseful, and mysterious experience than the previous films in the series.

However, despite its visual and atmospheric prowess, the film must catch up with storytelling aspects. It attempts to juggle many characters and their intertwined plotlines, making investing deeply in each character’s journey challenging. Some characters appear briefly, almost as if they exist solely to remind us they’re present, without significantly advancing the narrative.

Similarly, the film’s attempt at incorporating motifs to infuse deeper meaning must be revised. Take the recurring motif of the apple, reminiscent of the biblical tale of Adam and Eve. While it initiates the plot, its repetitive use fails to resonate as a meaningful symbol, leaving us wondering about its significance.

Essentially, ‘A Haunting in Venice’ is quintessential Kenneth Branagh fare in the murder mystery genre. It’s visually stunning but needs to push the genre’s boundaries. The plot, while engaging, follows some familiar tropes, and the film occasionally feels overcrowded. Everything about it seems tailored to the genre’s clichés, right down to its closing line: “We cannot hide from our ghosts, whether they are real or not. We must make peace with them.”

So, if you’re a fan of classic murder mysteries with a dash of eerie ambience, you’ll find this latest Poirot instalment right up your canal… I mean, alley.”