Agatha Christie adaptations have been around almost as long as films have been produced. The prolific author created some of the most famous detective novels that have ever existed, primarily based on the exploits of fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. There have been many who have taken up the mantle of Hercule Poirot throughout the years, but arguably the most respected embodiment is that of David Suchet in the long-running crime drama Agatha Christie’s Poirot. From 1989 to 2013, the series adapted every major literary work by Christie which featured the character. It was reported this week that Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile has been delayed indefinitely once again in the face of an uncertain theatrical landscape, but Christie fans have at least one thing to cheer for thanks to the good folks over at Acorn. In Series 9 of the show, fan-favorite novel Death on the Nile was brought to life with Emily Blunt, Frances de la Tour, JJ Feild and many more European favorites rounding out the expansive ensemble. You can now own this feature-length episode on Blu-Ray, and I am happy to say you do not have to wait for the new Hollywood version to experience a fun adaptation of the tale.
For those unfamiliar with the story, Death on the Nile features a colorful array of characters and a surprisingly high body count. Simon Doyle (JJ Feild) and Jacqueline De Bellefort (Emma Malin) are madly in love but penniless. On what will become a major mistake on the part of Jacqueline, she introduces Simon to her wealthy and gorgeous friend Linnet Ridgeway (Emily Blunt). Fast Forward to a few months later and Linnet and Simon are married and absconding to Egypt for their honeymoon, where they run into a vacationing Poirot. They also happen to be distancing themselves from an angry, and potentially murderous, Jacqueline, who they cannot seem to shake. Poirot agrees to talk to all of the parties involved, but there is still a great amount of resentment abound. Linnet and Simon attempt to flee on a ship called the Karnak, but Jacqueline is two steps ahead and waiting to make the happy couple’s honeymoon a tension-filled affair. If you have any history with mystery novels, and Christie in particular, you know that the suspects may not be so obvious when bodies start popping up.
In addition to Poirot and these three with the complicated romantic entanglement, the ship is filled with other big personalities with connections to the new couple. We have the very critical Miss Van Schuyler (Judy Parfitt) and her put-upon younger cousin, Cornelia Robson (Daisy Donovan); Andrew Pennington (David Soul), the American trustee of the wealth belonging to Linnet; Mrs. Allerton (Barbara Flynn) and her son, Tim (Daniel Lapaine), who seem to have a complicated relationship themselves; and the larger-than-life Salome Otterbourne (Frances de la Tour) and her flustered daughter, Rosalie (Zoe Telford). There is also Linnet’s French maid, Louise (Félicité Du Jeu), and Dr. Bessner (Steve Pemberton) on board for the journey. Nearly every character has a time to shine and really offer up a compelling reason why they should be suspected of murder. No one seems to be of the angelic persuasion, as even non-murderous scandals are brought to the surface when Poirot is on the case. This adaptation stays largely faithful to the novel, but certain characters are omitted and a few things are modernized in a narrative sense to be more in line with current day values.
This adaptation of Death on the Nile may not be filled with the biggest names to Americans outside of Blunt, but that somewhat comes as a positive for the story. Every actor is doing a really wonderful job of bringing their characters to life, and you do not have any baggage from previous roles informing your opinion of them. Even Emily Blunt, who is one of our favorites, successfully disappears in this slightly snotty role that brings backs echoes of the early portions of The Devil Wears Prada. The real standout of the adaptation is Poirot himself, David Suchet. He is the definitive Poirot to many people, and that assessment is hard to argue with. He presents as effortlessly brilliant and slightly irritated to be pulled into work while on holiday, but he breathes life into the character with his subtle touches. This genre of storytelling is often referred to as a “cozy mystery,” and that description is apt. There is something so relaxing about sitting back and letting Poirot guide you through this cast of characters as you ultimately reach a clever reveal that is satisfying. This may not be the flashiest adaptation you see of Death on the Nile, but it is still a gorgeous production from the early 2000s filled with great performances and natural direction. If you are tired of waiting on theaters to deliver your next hit of Poirot, this should be a nice replacement.
Video Quality
Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile makes its way to Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer that is quite striking overall. While I have no specific details about the transfer, this appears to be derived from an older master that has not had much additional work done to it. For the majority of the feature, the transfer looks incredibly clear and detailed, but certain shots look a bit soft. The transfer seems to suffer from some incredibly light digital noise, but it does boast some impressive detail in the production design and texture of clothing. Skin tones are natural throughout the ensemble cast members. Colors stand out in a natural pleasing manner that never read as oversaturated. Black levels are solid in their depth, but there is some crush present at points. This transfer does seem to be almost entirely free of any damage. Overall, I was quite impressed by how strong the presentation was for this standalone feature-length episode.
Audio Quality
Acorn brings us this new Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix that beautifully reproduces the adaptation sonically. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely, but the sound design is not overly active for the most part. Composer Christopher Gunning provides a lively score that occupies a nice space in this track. This is a track that represents the series in a very satisfying way. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc.
Final Thoughts
Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile is pure comfort food for fans of easy to digest mysteries. David Suchet is the perfect embodiment of Poirot, and the ensemble cast they get for this story is very strong. This is one of the more popular of the Christie novels, and it translates quite effectively to a live-action adaptation. Acorn has delivered a standalone Blu-Ray of this classic story that boasts a solid A/V presentation. If you are wanting to dip your toe into this long-running series, this serves as the perfect entry point. Recommended
Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Acorn has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
