Murder on the Orient Express: it’s a pity that the excellent cast put together by director Kenneth Branagh for this adaptation mostly doesn’t have a chance to work properly their characters. Likewise, the plot feels rushed, giving no chance for the solution of the whodunit being properly worked out. Nevertheless, Branagh himself is fine as the main character (and also the one who has more airtime, hence a better chance to shine); Daisy Ridley is also in good shape, but it is Michelle Pfeiffer that is the highlight out of the whole cast. The film is made with great elegance: costumes are beautiful without calling too much attention to themselves; the same can be said about the set design; Patrick Doyle’s musical score is touching when called for. Director of photography Haris Zambarloukos finds inventive ways to shoot a cramped space, in a very interesting work, overall.