Based on Agatha Christie’s novel of the same name, ‘Death on the Nile’ follows a murder mystery that shatters the honeymoon of a newlywed couple. (20th Century Studios pic)

Ah, murder mysteries. Is there any better way to watch them than with a large group of friends? You can vie to pick up the clues and take bets on who the murderer is. What fun!

Currently playing is the big-screen adaptation of Agatha Christie’s mystery novel “Death on the Nile”. If you’re fond of mysteries à la Sherlock Holmes or – for the Japanophiles – Detective Conan, this film will be right up your alley.

“Death on the Nile” is directed by and stars Kenneth Branagh as Christie’s case-cracker Hercule Poirot, the Belgian detective with an ego as magnificent as his moustache.

The mention of his bristles is significant as the movie’s opening sequence reveals a surprisingly sad story behind it. Who knew a moustache could be such a tearjerker?

In most murder-mystery stories, the detective is often cold and detached from those around him (see the antisocial Holmes, for example). In this case, Poirot is a man with a cunning appearance who hides a broken soul.

Branagh is a talented performer, so it is no surprise he plays the part immaculately, chewing the scenery with adroitness and clearly having a good time doing it.

Kenneth Branagh plays Hercule Poirot, a man with an impressive stare and even more impressive facial hair. (20th Century Studios pic)

The same, sadly, cannot be said about his co-stars. Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer are attractive, for sure – never mind the controversies surrounding the latter, which don’t seem to have made a dent in his screen time – but they are so stiff, it’s hard to believe their characters are actually a couple.

Not all their co-stars are as problematic, thankfully. Sophie Okonedo and Letitia Wright – adding some much-needed diversity to original source material steeped in mid-20th-century xenophobia and colonialism – perform excellently.

The film starts off well: in the first five minutes, Poirot is revealed to have fought in the trenches during World War I, displaying the astute observational skills and intelligence of his later years.

This one scene, alas, has an energy and feel the rest of the movie lacks. “Death on the Nile” then starts beating around the bush, taking its own sweet time to introduce the characters and build tension, which might prove tedious for impatient viewers.

Gal Gadot and Arnie Hammer lack an onscreen chemistry that convinces viewers that their characters are deeply in love. (20th Century Studios pic)

As for the plot – it involves Hammer’s Simon Doyle, who dumps his fiancée Jacqueline de Bellefort as soon as he sets sights on the wealthy heiress Linnet Ridgeway (Gadot).

Not long after, Doyle and Ridgeway tie the knot and head off to honeymoon in Egypt aboard a glamorous river steamer where, as it happens, Poirot is also vacationing. He’s there on the invitation of his old buddy, Bouc (Tom Bateman), a returning character from the previous film, “Murder on the Orient Express”.

Coming along for the ride is the ditched Jackie (a suitably unhinged Emma Mackey), who stalks Doyle and Ridgeway wherever they go, and might or might not be responsible for a giant boulder nearly killing the couple.

Not long after, someone is found dead and, with a good number of other guests connected to the newlyweds on board, the scene is set and the suspects thrust under Poirot’s spotlight.

Branagh going into sleuthing mode is the best part of the film, while the restricted confines of the paddleboat steamer make for an interesting location for an investigation.

The constricted setting of the film makes for an interesting set piece, especially when the bodies start hitting the floor. (20th Century Studios pic)

Unfortunately, most of the cast members aren’t provided with much characterisation and, coupled with the limited amount of screen time they have, there’s little incentive for the audience to really care about them.

But the biggest flaw of the movie is that it hinges on the unconvincing romance between Ridgeway and Doyle. They do not connect either physically or emotionally, making it hard to accept they are madly in love and would risk everything for each other.

Also, while the events unfold in Egypt, filming seems to have largely taken place in front of a screen: “Death on the Nile” is a CGI fest, which at times makes it feel like a video game. This is a real shame, given that the actual location is actually quite beautiful.

To be fair, they reportedly did film several scenes on location but, given that production began in late 2019, it’s unclear if the pandemic – which would have just been emerging – played a role in the abundance of simulated imagery in the end product. Oh well.

All in all, “Death on the Nile” isn’t groundbreaking. But if you haven’t read the book, you might have fun figuring out who the killer is, and who’s next on the chopping board.

‘Death on the Nile’ is playing in cinemas nationwide.

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‘Death on the Nile’: a gorgeous cast can’t make up for lack of chemistry

While this whodunit is not particularly egregious with its flaws, the connection - or lack of - between two main characters lessens the viewing experience.