It’s 1934. Smoke spirals through the heavy, winter air while thousands scurry to their destinations in a crowded station. With the help of a good friend, a bright detective is given a last minute spot aboard a famous train and the desire to do nothing more but to take a break from his work. However, that’s not the case. Based on the 1934 novel by Agatha Christie, “Murder on the Orient Express” caught my attention the moment the trailers released. It was captivating and only a week or so after the movie’s release, I received an opportunity to watch it with a friend. Although I departed the theatre with a bright grin, the movie did not provide me with the sense of completion. “Murder on the Orient Express” is a grand, thrilling film with lacking aspects that are overshadowed by various components. These components are the setting, characters and plot line.
To begin, the setting was distinctive. With the opening and introduction scenes showing Istanbul, Turkey- known as Stamboul in the film- I was instantly hooked. It might be because I don’t watch many mystery films, so this setting really stood out to me as unique. The fact that the author, Agatha Christie of the original novel, rode the train before picking it as her setting adds to the movie’s distinctiveness through a personal connection. The director did a wonderful job capturing the bustle of Eastern Europe’s 1930s. While aboard the Simplon-Orient Express, the movie shows various terrains the train travels through- after all, the original route covered 7 countries. Now, the setting was the first aspect that intrigued me, but it was the characters in the settings that also made this film great.
Next, the characters all had some kind of individuality, whether it was from their personality or appearance, that set them apart from the rest. Let’s take Mr. Poirot; for example, he is a detective, which is a common role that’s necessary for any mystery movie or novel, ends up meeting an American passenger, a German professor, and Spanish missionary. These are characters from all different places with their own stories. While watching the film, I took note of the diversity and found myself wondering, “How does relate to one another?” “How is everything connected?” Yet, that is the thing about mystery: Nobody knows what is happening and must wait, ever-so-anxiously to see how the end will unfold. “Murder on the Orient Express” does well with leaving people, like me, on the end of their seats, with the individuality in the characters definitely helping with the suspense.
Finally, the “Murder on the Orient Express” has a plot line that left me in absolute awe. To reiterate, I don’t watch or read a lot of mystery movies or books, but out of all the ones I have, this film had the most incomparable one of all. After finishing the movie, I remember walking out of the theatre in shock, like woah.  I would’ve never thought the events would unravel as it did. In the theatre, I was taken by surprise when I attempted to piece the puzzle together on my own and the idea I had in mind was nothing compared to how the ending actually was. “Murder on the Orient Express” did an exemplary, outstanding job at exhibiting the twisted plot line and themes, like Vengeance, and capturing the fact that not everything goes according to plan. With setting and characters aiding the plot line, it makes the movie what it is.
To conclude, “Murder on the Orient Express” is a thrilling film, with lacking aspects overshadowed by three main components: the setting, characters and plot line. This movie did a wonderful job demonstrating the themes, evoking emotion and leaving its viewer excitedly, yet cluelessly, anticipating what might happen throughout the entire show. I recommend “Murder on the Orient Express” to anyone who enjoys being on the edge of their seat.
It’s 1934. With his breath visible in the cold winter air, a tall, cloaked male exited an elegant train. Another case complete; now he was off to solve another, for his work never, ever, ends.