Why Death On The Nile Is The Perfect Whodunit

After the incredible success of Kenneth Branagh’s first Agatha Christie adaptation ‘The Murder on The Orient Express’, it was only a matter of time before we were to get another adaptation, but low and behold, COVID-19 hit, leaving fans waiting in anticipation for the release of ‘Death On The Nile’, which is puke see Hercule Poirot investigate a murder on a river cruise, making its way down the Nile River in Egypt. After a number of delays, in late 2021, it was announce the film would finally arrive in Australian cinemas February 10th, and guess what, it did! The film was met with positive audience and critical reception, with many critics and audiences alike praising Branaghs direction and improvement over his first instalment. I myself had a blast with this film, I didn’t particularly like the payoff of the first film. However, in this sequel, the mystery is far more intriguing and the payoff far more satisfying. With the film releasing onto physical media from March 30, I thought it would be the perfect time to highlight the film and tell you why I think it is the perfect Whodunit. This is of course my opinion and I will be staying well clear of spoilers. So without further ado, here we go! 

The ensemble cast - A must have in a classic whodunit, is an all star cast. The film needs to have an ensemble chock full of names we know and love. Why you may ask? Well if you have a well known actor among the cast, they are either going to be the killer or the victim. Death on The Nile, follows this classic formula, providing audiences with a star-studded affair, with the likes of Gal Gadot, Letitia Wright, Russell Brand, Annette Bening, Sophie Okonedo and Armie Hammer rounding out the cast. This kept me on my toes the entire time, not being able to pick the killer, but trying my best to piece together the puzzle and pin point a motive. Death on The Nile excels in this department as the mystery is kept right until the very end, with only Agatha Christie fans being able to pick apart the narrative and find the culprit. This is a great example as to why this is a great whodunit.

The setting - Another staple of the classic whodunit genre is of course having a great location. In recent years we have seen a mansion in Rian Johnson’s directorial effort ‘Knives Out’ and Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Murder on The Orient Express’, of course taking place on a train. This feeling of isolation makes the audience feel threatened and trapped, as the tensions remain high and we share the collective feeling, of not being able to escape. ‘Death on The Nile’ follows this trend, with the whole film taking places on the confides of a river cruise down the famed Nile River. The only escape is to jump overboard and fend for yourself against crocodiles and other deadly inhabitants of the river. I love this setting as it really adds to the story, making it feel like it’s own character in the narrative. Branagh also directs this film marvellously capturing the isolation on this cruise, adding to the stakes.  Yet another reason why ‘Death on The Nile’ is the perfect whodunit. 

Music - Another key element of a Whodunit is good music. Sometimes it isn’t enough for the story and setting to provide the suspense, you need a good musical score to keep the audience on their toes. The best whodunit’s have this and ‘Death on The Nile’ is no exception. The film features a fantastic score from composer Patrick Doyle’ who helmed the score previously in the first film of this franchise ‘Murder on The Orient Express’. The score here is tense, suspenseful and sometimes whimsical. I love the blend of music here and Patrick Doyle once again proves he is one of the best in the business. This score is a huge reason as to why ‘Death on The Nile’ is the perfect Whodunit. 

The sleuth/detective - Finally, the last ingredient and arguably the most important is the sleuth/detective investigating the murder. The audience is seeing the events of the film through the eyes of the detective; we are receiving the clues as the detective is, putting us in the front row seat, trying to beat the clock and solve the crime before it’s too late. ‘Death on The Nile’ boasts one of the best sleuths of all time with Hercule Poirot played once again by the director himself, Kenneth Branagh reprising his role. The Frenchmen’s knack for solving crimes is next to none, and he flexed that muscle and moustache again in this film, interrogating each of the crew members to find out exactly what has happened and who is at fault. I love Poirot’s character and Branagh does such a great job bringing him to life. You understand just how good he is at his job and also understand the stakes that are in place. To me, this is the most important aspect of any whodunit, without a great sleuth, we don’t have a reason to give a  damn, and thankfully Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot gives us a reason to give a damn. 

‘Death on The Nile’ is one of the best Whodunit films in recent memory. With a stellar cast, a great story, fantastic setting, an awesome musical score and of course a great detective. The film is one of the best of 2022 so far and I would highly recommend film fans check it out and those looking for a suspenseful thriller. ‘Death on The Nile’ is out on DVD, Blu-Ray and 4K UHD as of March 30, make sure you head on over to your local sanity or online to pre-order your copy today. You don’t want to miss this one!