After The Nun II scared the competition away, A Haunting In Venice (review here) is coming this week to eat up the horror sequel’s business. There is no Barbenheimer threat anymore. This will be Kenneth Branagh’s third Hercule Poirot film. He has acted and directed all three of them. This film is an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s lesser known novels – Hallowe’en Party. Unlike its predecessors, A Haunting In Venice has debuted with a 81% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, which now stands at 77% after 102 reviews. This happens to be a franchise record as the previous two installments stand at 61% and 62% respectively. If you’ve seen the Branagh directorial and are hungry for movies twisted mysteries then here is a list that will guide you through the murder mystery genre. Remember, these are not the best murder mysteries rather most similar to A Haunting In Venice.
7) Murder Mystery
Definitely not a well crafted mystery but the chemistry between Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler makes this film work. You genuinely care about these characters. The plot might feel rushed but since you care about the characters the film flies by you. If you’re in for a lazy afternoon and watch a film while curled up in bed then Murder Mystery will definitely provide you with an hour and half of pure fun.
6) See How They Run
One of the most unique murder mysteries of the past few years. Set in the 1950s, the film really takes you in that time. The combination of Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell really makes this film work. Considering the type of screenplay it is, there was a real danger that the film would’ve been a drag. However, as everything has come together quite well, See How They Run has turned out to be a wonderful murder mystery.
5) Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
You must’ve heard that sequels are always disappointing. Well, it is absolutely true for this Rian Johnson directorial. However, unlike me if you don’t compare this film with 2019’s Knives Out then Glass Onion will offer you a solid mystery that will keep you guessing till the end. It is never what it seems like. The blend of humor with murder is what makes it similar to A Haunting In Venice. There is a chance you might feel Glass Onion feels like two movies cramped into one. Well, maybe that is what Rian Johnson was going for.
4) Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
The first film that kicked off this long running franchise is a well crafted mystery. Murder on the Orient Express is arguably Agatha Christie’s best book. The twist she has reserved at the end of the book is something that has never been done before. The film obviously is not as good as the book but does a decent job of telling the story. We see Kenneth Branagh’s charming Poirot for the first time and he was an instant favorite for me. While I still find the screenplay of the film to be weak but it manages to deliver a fun murder mystery which is what you’ve been promised.
3) Rear Window (1954)
Rear Window is Alfred Hitchcock’s most underrated film. We all know about Psycho, Vertigo and North by Northwest. But, for some reason Rear Window doesn’t get the same recognition. The film is based on a short story, It Had to Be Murder written by Cornell Woolrich. The camera movement, storytelling, characters everything is so on point. I think the film was definitely ahead of its time. Even when you watch it today, the film feels so fresh and different. I strongly believe that Hitchcock never made a better film than Rear Window.
2) Scream (1996)
Perhaps the only film on this list that shares A Haunting In Venice’s horror element. Scream was made by horror legend Wes Craven. The film completely changed the horror game as this was the first time when a film was a marriage between the slasher and whodunnit genre. If people getting killed by someone was not fun enough now there is an added mystery of who did it. Not just Scream, but every film in the Scream franchise is a ton of fun with its pop culture references and clever kills. There is no bad Scream film till now.
1) Knives Out (2019)
This is the single most important film for the entire murder mystery genre. If it wasn’t for Rian Johnson’s Knives Out in 2019, then the whodunnit genre might’ve never risen from the dead. Murder on the Orient Express did release two years before Knives Out but the global impact that the Rian Johnson directorial had, is unparalleled. You might even say Knives Out dug out murder mysteries from the ground. This new found interest in whodunnits we all see is the result of Knives Out.
When it comes to classic whodunnits, there is no doubt that Knives Out is the best we’ve gotten. Perhaps the best screenplay on this list. Whenever I watch this film, I only feel intimidated and dumb because the film is so smart that you never guess what will come next. I agree that the last half hour of the film feels a bit exposition heavy but you forgive that because of the over all quality of the film. After Looper, this is the best Rian Johnson film.
Kenneth Branagh has assembled another all-star cast for A Haunting in Venice, including Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly, Call My Agent’s Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Michelle Yeoh, Tina Fey and Mayor of Kingstown’s Emma Laird, among others. The movie is the third Christie novel that Branagh has directed, following Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. Both movies had solid, if unspectacular reviews, but only Murder on the Orient Express (budget: $55 million) was a box-office hit with $353 million and Death on the Nile (budget: $90 million) struggled, grossing only $137 million.
A Haunting In Venice will release in theatres near you on 15th September 2023.
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