Eshaan M. Explores the Supernatural Side of Venice in A Haunting in Venice Review
2While A Haunting in Venice is a significant departure from its roots as an Agatha Christie novel, its clever writing, superb set design and cinematography—and Kenneth Branagh's skillful acting—make it a relentlessly intriguing, vivid film for lovers of mystery, history, and intrigue.
In 1947, the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is in retirement in Venice, and when visited by his American authoress friend Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), he is pulled into a mystery at the palazzo, a former orphanage haunted by children's spirits. Oliver invites Poirot to a seance held by opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly), who’s mourning the death of her daughter, Alicia. He must get to the bottom of whether Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), a medium who means to summon Alicia's spirit during the séance, is legitimate or not. What ensues is a creepy series of — perhaps fortunate — events. The plot is interesting, but the solution to the mystery is not particularly unique, though it is unveiled with a lovely, dramatic monologue by Branagh. The setting of the story in post-World War II Venice is most striking; some characters suffer from PTSD, and even Joyce Reynolds was a nurse during the war. Everyone is in mourning of some sort.
The story revels in the richness of its visuals, unique setting, and in its talkative script. Kenneth Branagh not only headlines, but also directs the film. Branagh, cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos and production designer John Paul Kelly are a dream team; they beautifully capture one of the world’s most striking cities, interspersing the action—which takes place in the dark, ornate palazzo—with classic, scenic shots of gondolas and canals at sunset. The classic horror movie effects like scurrying rats, falling chandeliers, and banging doors are not overdone, though they are somewhat cliched. Branagh hams up Poirot’s Belgian French accent and truly seems to be loving his role. Tina Fey shines as the sharp-tongued American, the authoress with a suspicious motive; she balances out Poirot's gloominess with some humor and an almost campy demeanor. This, along with other elements in the film, means that A Haunting in Venice is both a horror and a whodunit, a perfect film for Halloween, the spooky season, or anytime.
A Haunting in Venice touches on all kinds of themes — religion, the supernatural, and belief in good over evil. Poirot repeats time and again that his job, dealing with cruelty, vice, and death, means he simply cannot believe that God exists. He lives, instead, on cold rationality. This mystery doesn’t exactly make him change his mind, but he ends with a belief that he, as a detective, can do some good in the world, and he decides to emerge from retirement. There’s optimism and light even in this dark tale. Parents should be aware that A Haunting in Venice contains mentions of suicide, death, murder, and violence.
I give A Haunting in Venice 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18 plus adults. A Haunting in Venice debuts on digital retailers and Hulu on October 31, 2023, and arrives on Blu-ray/DVD on November 28, 2023. https://youtu.be/6Z2I2ywfU3M
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