Agatha Christie, the “Queen of Mystery,” continues to captivate people worldwide more than 100 years after her debut in 1920. One of her detectives is Hercule Poirot.

Many of her novels featuring Poirot have not only been read by many people but have also been made into movies many times. In the 21st century, Kenneth Branagh, a well-known Shakespearean actor, plays Poirot in the “Branagh Version of Poirot” series, which he also directs. This film, “Poirot: The Ghost of Venice,” was produced and released as the third in the “Branagh Version of Poirot” series, following “Murder on the Orient Express” and “The Nile Murders.

Branagh’s version of Poirot is the third and most challenging minor work.

I remember very well how surprised I was when I learned that the third installment in the “Branagh Version of Poirot” series would be “The Halloween Party.” Until now, Branagh has dealt with some of the best-known films in the Poirot series, such as “Murder on the Orient Express” and “Death on the Nile. These films are well known to many people, even if they are not part of the Poirot series, and have been made into movies many times. While the title alone has the advantage of attracting an audience, it also has the disadvantage of being easily compared to previous works. Branagh’s ability to take on such a well-known work was a challenge typical of Branagh, who has taken on William Shakespeare’s works, which have been performed and filmed many times before.

His new challenge, “Halloween Party,” is a minor entry in the Poirot series. Although it has often been made into a film, it is familiar to some. I was also very concerned about the bold change of the film’s title to “Detective Poirot: The Ghosts of Venice. After seeing the film, I was convinced by this change in title and choice of subject matter. There were so many changes from the original story. To indicate the work’s content, I thought no title could be used other than this one. The director’s strong intention was evident in the drastic changes made to the story. This film made me realize that this is a film series about the character of the famous detective Poirot, which could only be made at this time after Branagh’s autobiographical film “Belfast.”

Mystery and the Paranormal

This horror-flavored mystery film is perfect for autumn, as can be easily imagined from the original title, “Halloween Party.” Since this film was not well advertised as a horror film in Japan, many people were surprised when they read the reviews of other movies they had seen.

The story’s starting point is that the mistress of the mansion, where the film takes place, reads a medium and conducts a seance. The occult element, which cannot be proven by science, is exactly like water and oil, with detective stories that theoretically prove various mysteries. However, as in “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” in which the famous detective Sherlock Holmes appears, mystery and the supernatural combine surprisingly well. This film is one of those, and the way Poirot, who tries to solve things with theories, gets caught up in one supernatural event after another is a great spectacle.

Camera angles and shadows that create horror

In “Murder on the Orient Express,” a murder occurs on a luxury train, and in “Murder on the Nile,” a murder occurs on a luxury cruise ship. The search for the murderer is the general flow of the story. In contrast, “The Ghosts of Venice” is a kind of psychological thriller with a seance, a dead ghost. Because of this atmosphere, the camera shoots close to the characters’ faces after the scene, looking around the building from the characters’ point of view, always looking at someone. Such is the way of filming.

The lighting is generally dark. The beautiful Venice in the early part of the film, which was dimly lit to create a horror element, was shown, so the atmosphere in the early and middle parts of the film is completely different.

Gathering of a talented and splendid cast

One of the highlights of the Branagh version of the Poirot series is the star-studded cast. In “Murder on the Orient Express,” the most essential character is played by Johnny Depp, who is supported by a cast of talented actors, including the famous actor Judi Dench. In “The Nile Murders,” Gal Gadot plays the most crucial character. A cast of talented actors also supports her.

In “Poirot: The Ghosts of Venice,” Michelle Yeoh, who just won the Academy Award for Best Actress, plays an important medium, and Jude Hill and Jamie Dornan, who played the protagonist and his father in “Belfast,” are again cast as father and son. The casting is impressive, bringing together the best actors in the industry. Perhaps because director Branagh himself comes from a stage background, he placed the right actors in the right roles who could give the necessary performances beyond the level of attention and popularity, allowing the audience to enjoy the film as if they were watching a stage performance.

Detective Poirot: The Ghosts of Venice is one of those films in which you can feel the weight of its groundedness. I found it a perfect work for those in the mood for a mystery with horror elements.