The film ‘A Haunting in Venice’ falls in the genre of crime thriller and mystery horror. Directed by Kenneth Branagh and written by Agatha Christie, the original novelist, it is 21st Century Fox production. Micheal Green adapted the novel to create a screenplay.
‘A Haunting in Venice’ is an absolute horror to watch.
In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his exile, reluctantly attends séance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is unto the former detective to once again uncover the killer.”
There is a group of seven people. The significant ones are Hercule Pioro (Kenneth Branagh), Ms Oliver (Tina Fey), and Ms Reynold (Michelle Yeo). Alicia Drake (Rowan Robinson) is murdered. Poiro, the protagonist, tries to put the piece of the puzzle together and finally reaches a verdict!
The film opens with the following dialogue:
‘Venice, a gorgeous relic, is slowly sinking in the sea.’
The lines speak volumes. Venice, once the hub of cultural entertainment, is gradually being poisoned and losing its attraction.
A critic has to say:
“Definitely not small beer.”
“A rich New Yorker is the only type of New Yorker to be.”
The Americans brought with them the festival of Halloween, where children are playing trick or treat.
Faces are hiding behind the masks, faces of children and adults alike. Fireworks, psychic witchcraft, and a time to party come to Venice.
‘In Venice, there is no say. Everyone has a haunted house.’
‘Plagues make people afraid, and fear makes people do terrible things.’ What do these lines mean? They are full of severity!
Lightening the mood with a sprinkle of a bit of sarcasm and humour to the above lines:
‘In Venice, every house is haunted and cursed.’
‘Scary stories make life less scary.’
Both dialogues talk about what leads to a crime. The setting of the film is in Venice, of course. The narrow alleys, cramped apartments, and the canals of water flowing through the city are a treat to watch. One can almost actually feel the experience!
It is as if one is inside the story, listening to the music with an unmatched concentration.
The rabbit is symbolic of dark magic. Just as in Harry Potter, the dementors drain the happiness from within the soul, so the rabbit is haunted!
From out of the group, someone is the murderer, but who that is has yet to be revealed.
Agatha Christie once again does not fail to surprise the viewers. Just like in ‘The Murderer on Orient Express,’ the audience is constantly on edge, so ‘A Haunting in Venice’, too, catches the viewer off guard.
Alicia is in a mental hospital where the doctor gives her sedatives. Someone gives her wildflower honey, which is poisoned. But who does that I don’t know and neither can you see till you watch the film!
To conclude, a critic said, ‘In life, people tell you what you want to know, what you don’t want to know, and what will gaslight you.’
The lines are full of meaning. Try to comprehend the lesson hidden within the words!
With a runtime of 1.5 hours, the film has received a rating of 6.8/10 on IMDB. It’s not a good rating, yet I absolutely loved the film! However, everyone is entitled to an opinion. So I leave it for the audience to decide for themselves!
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