First View Review: Murder on the Orient Express

First View Review:

Murder on the Orient Express

by Z-Factor

Apologies for being late! Murder on the Orient Express came out last weekend and here are the first thoughts and reactions to seeing it for the first time by Z Factor. There will be no official rating of the movie out of five stars or anything like that, but instead whether or not I would recommend this movie and the thoughts I have on it are spoiler-free. 

To begin with, I don't think it would be as good of a review in this particular case if I didn't speak from my own personal preference and opinion, rather than looking at it on a more objective level. I love reading murder mysteries, including Agatha Christie's work which I really enjoy, but I haven't read Murder on the Orient Express, which is what the movie is an adaptation of. Because of this, combined with the appeal of a stellar cast and director, I was sold from the first moment I heard about the movie and am very glad to say I enjoyed the movie and my expectations were not let down. However, if you do not love murder mysteries, or Agatha Christie's novels, it might be less of an ideal movie for you. And, if you've already read Murder on the Orient Express, you'll likely not be surprised by the big reveal at the end. That's what is tricky about adapting some novels to books, is that the fan-base knows how it will end. From personal opinion, since I hadn't read the book but love Agatha Christie novels, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and felt the spirit of Agatha Christie within the movie, as if being taken out of the pages, and the character of Detective Hercule Poriot seemed exactly as I imagined him. 

This is not a perfect movie, and I cannot say if it was a good adaptation of the novel itself (since I haven't read the book), but it was a good murder mystery that was right up my ally. The cast was amazing, the visuals and cinematography was even more grand than I expected, and the twist was shocking. If you like murder mysteries, I think you'll like this movie. If you're not into it all that much, then it's probably not a good fit for you. That's my recommendation for this movie, entirely dependent upon whether you like a good murder mystery or not; I know not everyone enjoys them as much as I do. 

On another final note, the movie did earn its PG-13 rating based upon the fact that there is a murder in Murder on the Orient Express. Again, there is a murder, and though they don't show it quite graphically, it is for more mature audiences. However, it was quite clean with regards to swearing and sexual innuendo to a point where I don't recall any swearing at all. It's a fun movie to see on a lazy weekend with a friend during the afternoon, if you love murder mysteries. 

I certainly love murder mysteries and enjoyed this film! It was dramatic, a nice balance of tone, both a bit dark at times and also fun, with some witty banter and dialog between the absolutely stunning cast that was amazing. Will you dare take a train ride on the Orient Express? Let me know if you've seen this movie too. 

-Z Factor