20th Century Fox

The main character, Hercule Poirot stands next to the train, attempting to solve a murder.

“I didn’t do it” was the motto for all aboard the Orient Express on a chilly winter day. Based off the book “Murder on The Orient Express”, masterful detective, Hercule Poirot played by actor Kenneth Branagh looks to have a peaceful train ride, but is terribly mistaken when someone on the train is murdered in their cabin leaving everyone to question, “who did it?” and it is up to Poirot to crack the case. All the suspects were introduced vaguely in the beginning of the film, and if you didn’t pay close attention to their actions and behaviors, you were in for a world of confusion.

The character development was phenomenal in the film, and at times had me more interested in how the characters showed their true emotions rather than solving the murder. Every character had a different piece to add to the puzzle making them all equally important. The director, Kenneth Branagh, did a great job of not putting all of his eggs in one basket, creating an unobvious culprit for his audience. Another interesting aspect was that after every interview, or lie told to him, Poirot developed his personality a little more in the film, to the point of insanity.

The plot of the movie was all brought together through character development. If you like the adrenaline rush of a good “chase of the bad guy” in murder films, this one’s for you. Where the film really hits home, is how a person’s personality can be portrayed by their word. Poirot believed the vast majority of suspects lied to him when confronted about the murder, making the mystery more puzzling. Who can you trust if all people of interest tell you a lie?  I personally couldn’t figure it out until the detective laid out his dramatic findings. Overall the film is a must watch if you are into mystery films that keep you guessing or make you feel apart of the detective process.

It was said in the film that the master detective has solved every case, but had he finally met the mystery he couldn’t solve? I guess you will just have to go watch it to find out for yourself.