A Haunting in Venice is the third Hercule Poirot story directed by Kenneth Branagh (who also stars as the Belgian detective in the film series). Based on the 1969 novel Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie, the film follows a retired Poirot as he’s reluctantly pulled into solving another murder mystery.

Poirot (Kenneth Branagh) is enjoying retirement when he’s visited by his old friend Ariadne (Tina Fey). She can’t decide if the psychic powers of Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh) are real or fake. To help determine the truth, Ariadne invites Poirot to a séance for a young woman that recently passed. While at the séance, one of the guests is murdered and Poirot is thrust out of retirement to find the killer.

It’s not just the murder that has Poirot’s attention. There’s an avalanche of myths and tales about the orphanage the séance is being held at. Poirot’s detective work starts to uncover the truth about the spiritual phenomena people are experiencing in the building.

Branagh has been pulling double duty starring in and directing 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express and 2022’s Death on a Nile. The previous two films were entertaining and worked on many levels because of the ensemble cast. To no surprise, the cast for A Haunting in Venice is the reason this film works so well. On paper, this cast may not be the most accomplished, but every single actor shows how skilled they are and they deliver in every scene.

A Haunting in Venice is works as a film for spooky season and as a mystery. On its face, it’s a story about Poirot’s being thrust out of retirement. Underneath, it’s a story about the power of faith or the power of believing in the unseen. There are enough horror elements to keep audiences interested in feeling a little creeped out and scared. There’s also a mature mystery thriller that’s really fun to watch unfold.

The film is at its best when Poirot is putting clues together and solving the unsolvable. The film and Branagh come alive once Poirot starts his mission towards the truth. There’s a jolt of energy and excitement injected into the story and the other characters feed off Poirot’s energy.

If you’re a fan of murder mysteries and don’t mind a little horror, this might be the perfect film for you. Although there are horror elements in the film, it never strays away from being a mystery that needs to be solved by the world’s greatest detective. A Haunting in Venice might be the best of the three Branagh directed films. It’s a fun story that brings the best out of its casts and director.

Grade: B