Initial Reaction to A Haunting in Venice (2023)

***SPOILER FREE***

So, A haunting in Venice released the other week and I happened to be at the cinema see another film so I stuck around for a double feature. I was rewatching the Nun 2 if you are curious. See my reaction and review of The Nun I/II.

My initial reaction is 4.5/5.

A Haunting in Venice is based on Agatha Christie’s novel Hallowe’en Party 1969. I would not call it scary although it is definitely an easy PG-13. Our protagonist Hercule Poirot, played by Kenneth Branagh, is in retirement living out his years in Venice when along comes an old acquaintance who needs his help debunking a psychic medium played by Michelle Yeoh. It is a murder mystery that you will be challenged to solve. I have not seen any of the other Agatha Christie adaptation movies or read her books, so I am a blank slate with no expectations.

I would recommend seeing this movie in cinemas. The atmosphere, cinematography, and imagery make it worth the ticket. Moreover, all the actors play their roles to a “t.” The best part is the juxtaposition of Hercule being a scientific analytical man facing the existential question of whether there is an afterlife. That being said, he spends some of the film experiencing the paranormal and questioning his own sanity. If you watch the trailer, be warned there is only one slight of hand edit. Everything in the trailer is in the movie. By the end Hercule may not be completely sold on the idea of the paranormal, but the movie and Hercule leave room for its possibility.

Verdict: 4.5/5