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Agatha Christie is one of the most prolific crime authors of all time. Many of her novels have received multiple TV and movie adaptations, some of which have become fan favorites and received critical acclaim. And now, a 2022 film adaptation of one of Christie's best novels, featuring Hercule Poirot, is a hit on Netflix.
Per FlixPatrol, Death on the Nile is currently the No. 2 most-watched movie on Netflix worldwide. The murder mystery film, starring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot, is among the most-watched in countries like Argentina, Australia, Denmark, and more. It even holds the No. 1 spot in Latvia and the No. 2 spot in Bulgaria, Croatia, Iceland, New Zealand, and other countries.
Death on the Nile is the second movie featuring Kenneth Branagh as Hercule Poirot. A sequel to Murder on the Orient Express, it continued Branagh's new film series centering on Christie's world-famous Belgian detective. Death on the Nile was followed up by A Haunting in Venice, an adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1969 novel, Hallowe'en Party.
What Is Death on the Nile About?
Death on the Nile is the 2022 movie adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1937 novel of the same name. The story follows a recently married couple, Simon and Linnet, as they spend their honeymoon traveling through Egypt. But things aren't going as planned. The husband and wife are being followed by Simon's ex, Jackie, who was also Linnet's friend.
While they were still together, Jackie introduced Simon to Linnet. But after her fiancé and best friend ran off together, Jackie decided to follow them around. Things start to escalate to the point where Linnet asks for Poirot's help. Hercule Poirot, the iconic Belgian detective, was also traveling through Egypt at the same time as Linnet and Simon.
Gal Gadot stars as Linnet Ridgeway-Doyle, with Armie Hammer as Simon Doyle. Emma Mackey plays Jacqueline "Jackie" de Bellefort, Simon's ex-lover and Linnet's ex-friend. Kenneth Branagh stars as the renowned detective Hercule Poirot and also directed the film. The ensemble cast also includes Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Tom Bateman, Rose Leslie, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, and Letitia Wright.
As it often happens when Poirot is on vacation, a murder soon interrupts his downtime. Death on the Nile is a murder mystery filled with twists, revenge, tragedy, and intriguing characters. Kenneth Branagh's 2022 adaptation introduced a few changes to the original Christie novel, and while viewers found it entertaining, it received mostly mixed reviews from critics.
Death on the Nile Was Not a Hit with Critics
On Rotten Tomatoes, Death on the Nile currently holds a 62% Tomatometer score based on critics' reviews. However, audience reviews were more positive, with the mystery film holding an 82% Popcornmeter score. On IMDb, Kenneth Branagh's adaptation has a 6.3 rating and more than 200,000 reviews, suggesting an overall mixed-to-positive reception from viewers.
Chris Hewitt from the Minneapolis Star Tribune said, "Branagh plays fair with viewers, lingering over crucial clues to make sure they register, and he gives Nile a sense of place that the 1978 film lacked." Many praised Kenneth Branagh's efforts behind the scenes, with Emily Zemler from the Observer writing that "Ultimately it’s Branagh’s direction that makes the story a success."
Most Agatha Christie adaptations include changes to the source material, and Death on the Nile isn't the exception. However, the film also captured some of the best moments from Christie's classic. And as the film becomes available to stream worldwide, more are enjoying Kenneth Branagh's take on the iconic Hercule Poirot, turning the film into a streaming hit.
