MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS:  A remake of a classic?   Really?  I approached this movie with a bit of trepidation having loved the 1974 Sidney Lumet version. Was I disappointed?  Yes and no.  Featuring an all-star cast headed by Kenneth Branagh (who also directed) with Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Williem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi and Josh Gad, how could you miss?  Well, to each his own.  A new generation will find it intriguing, no doubt. However, Branagh, for some reason, has chosen to give his Hercule Poirot this enormous mustache that is almost scene stealing.  Perhaps I am too used to that wonderful David Suchet BBC version (not to mention the Albert Finney one in the aforementioned Lumet film.) At any rate, I found it a little bit of too much gilt on the lily. On the plus side, Mr. Branagh chose to film in the 65-millimeter format which leads to an opulent look for the proceedings (in the genre of "Doctor Zhivago" and "Lawrence of Arabia")  It also made it necessary to "open" the film up and shoot a number of scenes off of the train and in the snowy countryside. And, I must say, the cinematography to first rate.  Although the film does bog down a bit toward the end, all in all, it was entertaining and we are told in the final frames that there may be a sequel.  Seems someone arrives and wants Mr.Poirot to head for the Nile.  We shall see.