Based on the famous book written by Agatha Christie, “Death on the Nile” is a classic murder mystery that features a quality cast and incredible cinematography. Set in 1937, “Death on the Nile” follows detective Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) on the honeymoon of newlyweds Linnet (Gal Gadot) and Simon Doyle (Arnie Hammer). After the river steamer turns into a crime scene when Linnet is found dead, Hercule’s vacation is cut short and the detective work begins.

For fans of “Knives Out” and “Murder on the Orient Express”, “Death on the Nile” is definitely a movie to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed the cinematography in the film, with gorgeous sunsets, ruins, and views of the famous pyramids of Giza. I find it impressive that even though the movie was filmed in England and Morocco, it looked very realistic, and could be mistaken for the intended location of Egypt and the Nile River. With such a star-studded cast such as Gal Gadot, Kenneth Branagh, and Russell Brand, I am not surprised the acting in “Death on the Nile” prevailed and went above my expectations. Kenneth Branagh once again does a brilliant job bringing the famed detective Hercule Poirot to life, and Emma Mackey was excellent in playing Jacqueline, the crazed ex-fiance of Simon Doyle who follows the newlyweds on their honeymoon.

 However, no movie is perfect. One of my main issues with the movie is with one of the actors, Armie Hammer, who plays Simon Doyle. After allegations came to light early last year about Hammer sexually assaulting women and the possibility of him being a cannibal, the studio has all but removed Hammer from the movie. While normally I would question the fault of the studio for hiring such a person, “Death on the Nile” started filming in September 2019, a year and a half before the allegation came to light, so by the time they were presented, the movie had already wrapped up filming. Another issue I had was with the plot. While for the most part, the plot of the movie was good, it had a slow start and a few plot holes which left me confused. But I will say that the reveal at the end was a lot better than its companion, “Murder on the Orient Express”, which I believe did not have a fulfilling ending to the story. 

Overall, I enjoyed “Death on the Nile”. The suspense kept me wondering, and every time you think the killer has been found, the story only gets wider and deadlier. While I had my issues with the movie concerning some plot holes and the disturbing story about Armie Hammer, it was a great movie nonetheless. Despite what the critics say, I recommend seeing “Death on the Nile.”