A Haunting in Venice

Retired detective Hercule Poirot has chosen a quiet, solitary life in Venice, preferring the calm of distance to the bustle of crime. His sense of duty reappears when a Halloween seance at a crumbling, waterside palazzo invites him into a world of whispers and half hidden motives. The gathering draws an unusual mix of guests and a local organiser whose secrets cast long shadows over the night. As the candles gutter and the canals whisper outside, Poirot notices small inconsistencies in alibis and smiles that hide much more than courtesy. When a fellow guest dies under mysterious circumstances, the calm of the palazzo cracks open into a web of deceit and danger. The tension rises, hinting at a danger that might outlast the night.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh, this installment keeps him in the role of Poirot, adapted from Agatha Christie with Michael Green handling the screenplay. It's the latest big screen chapter in Branagh's Christie cycle, released for audiences worldwide for a global release.

Critics have noted a moody atmosphere and a tightly wound puzzle that leans on character dynamics as much as clues. The film explores themes of memory, aging and the ethics of deception, while Poirot's meticulous method clashes with a life spent in exile, yet still seeking truth.

From a production design that doubles as a mood piece to a Venice setting that has become synonymous with Christie style on screen, the film reinforces a modern trend of star driven Poirot stories. It adds another layer to Branagh's cinematic reinvention of the iconic detective.

Awards for this entry have been limited, with no major nominations announced in the top award bodies to date. Still, some critics praise Branagh's performance, the production design and the tense atmosphere, noting that the mystery sits well with Christie's enduring appeal.