Murder on the Orient Express

On a luxury rail voyage through snow swept Europe, a wealthy passenger is found dead in his sleeping compartment. The Belgian detective Hercule Poirot, traveling aboard the Orient Express, faces a case that seems both personal and meticulously planned. He must sift through a tangle of clues, alibis, and hidden motives among a diverse group of travelers who come from different corners of the world. As the train becomes a sealed corridor of suspicion, he reexamines evidence, interviews and conflicting statements, and negotiates with a calm, almost surgical, pace. The setting intensifies the stakes and forces precise reasoning to outpace the chaos of a carriage under lock and snow. Each encounter uncovers histories, secrets, and possible links to the murder without revealing the final outcome.

Directed by Kenneth Branagh who also stars as Poirot, the film reimagines Christie’s mystery for a modern audience with a lush production design and a brisk, character driven screenplay by Michael Green, supported by an international cast including Michelle Pfeiffer and Johnny Depp.

Box office: The movie performed strongly on a global scale, earning hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide, reflecting broad appeal beyond traditional mystery fans and proving Christie adaptations still draw large crossover audiences, as families and cinema lovers turned out in droves.

Branagh's bold visual approach and his signature Poirot hair and suit became a talking point, shaping how audiences picture Christie characters in contemporary cinema. The opulent train set and meticulously designed compartments echo the era while clever lighting and camera work create a sense of claustrophobic tension. A star studded ensemble and practical effects contributed to enduring discussion about adaptation aesthetics and faithful yet fresh storytelling.

Critics generally found the film entertaining with strong performances and lavish visuals, though some noted pacing that slows in the middle. The story explores justice versus secrecy and moral ambiguity, showing how truth can be constructed from a collective memory of motives, secrets, and the roles people play within a tightly knit social group aboard a moving vessel.