This one veers between shivers, thrills, and yawns, according to the review of the film A Haunting in Venice.

 Story: This time, Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh), a retired Belgian detective, finds himself at the center of a murder investigation at a seance. He now has to identify the perpetrator. It is based on Agatha Christie's "Halloween Party," published in 1969.

Review: Death on the Nile (2022) and Murder on the Orient Express (2017) are two precursors that are immediately apparent in A Haunting in Venice's initial poster. Kenneth Branagh, the film's director and star, sticks to the same formula in this instance as well: curiously ominous undertones with death looming big in a historical context. It's post-World War II Venice, expertly re-created by John Paul Kelly and exquisitely photographed by Haris Zambarloukos to enhance the atmosphere of master storyteller Agatha Christie's well-known tale that has endured over time.However, this edition is far too stationary and still compared to the previous two, which took place on a train and a ship, respectively. If we can call it that, the action takes place in a haunted palazzo that exudes death and mystery. The spectator is given plenty of time and muddled hints as to who the murderer might be and what his or her motive might be after a seance goes horribly wrong.

While it is amusing at parts, the verbose and slow-moving screenplay alternates between scenes that will make you jump in dread and scenes that will make you snooze because there is too much character banter. Like in other Agatha Christie books, the solution to every puzzle is found inside the boundaries of the crime scene, and the great reveal is what matters in the end. The subtleties of the characters, the performances, and the unmistakable hallmark of being immersed in the visual depiction of Agatha Christie's gloomy universe are what keep the audience interested throughout the entire movie.

When a strange mystery novelist named Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey) interrupts the renowned detective's self-imposed exile, Kenneth Branagh performs at his customary high level. Fey instantly improves the role with her upbeat on-screen persona, injecting some light into an otherwise somber scene. The picture ends with a slightly unsatisfying ending, but a variety of significant characters performed by a competent ensemble keep things afloat. There are, however, a few genuine scares and unsettling flashbacks. With some genuinely terrifying scenes and a complex tale that takes place in the eerie hallways of an old Italian mansion, it delivers the goods for horror enthusiasts.