Rating: 3/5 stars

Spooky season and fall are slowly approaching, which means the beginning of horror and murder/mystery movies have arrived. “A Haunting in Venice” is a mystery movie with horror elements based off of the book by Agatha Christie called “Hallowe’en Party”. It premiered on Sept. 14 and is the third in the trilogy with “Death of the Nile” (2022) and “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017). Kenneth Branagh (“Oppenheimer”) returns to star as detective Hercule Poirot. Branagh, while starring, also directed this murder mystery. He stars alongside fellow actors Kelly Reilly (“Yellowstone”), Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”), Tina Fey (“Only Murders in the Building”) and more. 

Poirot has taken time off in Venice when mystery writer Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) invites him to a Halloween party. Set in World War II, “A Haunting in Venice” follows the events after the mysterious death of Alicia (Rowan Robinson, “Gym”). Her mother, Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly), is attempting to contact her through psychics. When the psychic seems to be faking, Alicia seems to take over saying through the psychic that someone murdered her. “A Haunting in Venice” then follows the mystery of who did it. 

This movie follows the typical mystery trope. There are many suspicious characters and everyone is put into one building, which then creates tension and allows for the detective to bring out the truth. Twists are also a big factor in murder mysteries, and “A Haunting in Venice” is no exception. One difference in this movie compared to other mysteries is the supernatural element. It adds an element of eeriness, and it is not unrealistic, which is also a really interesting touch. The jump-scares were decent, but a tad predictable. 

“A Haunting in Venice” had a very uncomfortable feeling that added a lot. It was very odd in the best way possible. The cinematography was the star of the show. Many scenes and shots were filmed in such unique ways. Characters often were not centered in the shot which gave this disconnect and made viewers uneasy. Many angles were filmed in this high setting, not directly on the characters, but hovering over their heads which gave the movie a unique touch. There were many wide shots and quick cut sequences of dark skies, birds and the building in a rainy mess that set the tone for the movie. 

Some points of the movie did drag a little, especially in the beginning. Although the beginning set the stage for the rest of the movie, it did feel like it could have been done in a more entertaining way. The acting was well done. Everyone seemed to bounce off of each other and created a mysterious atmosphere. Kelly Reilly’s acting was a highlight. Her character was on point, adding such a powerful element to the movie. Branagh also does a great job of playing this quirky/off beat detective. This detective trope is played a lot, but it does feel like Branagh makes it his own. 

Overall, “A Haunting in Venice” was a decent murder mystery to start off the spooky season. Its use of wide angles and unique cinematography make this movie and add such an interesting element. The supernatural aspect and acting were good but felt similar to other movies that share these qualities too. This movie is nothing groundbreaking, but is a unique watch to make one feel a little confused and uneasy, which is perfect for Halloween time.

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