Death on the Nile, movie reboot

Mandatory Movie Battles: ‘Death on the Nile’ v. ‘Knives Out’

In the latest edition of Mandatory Movie Battles, we’re diving into the world of film noir. After years of delays, Death on the Nile has finally arrived in theaters so we’re pitting it against Knives Out in a battle of the whodunnits. For those who are unaware, the sequel to the remake of Murder On the Orient Express has been mired with controversy. At one point, there was even discussion of reshooting parts of the film to account for the problematic nature of some cast members. This ended up not happening, but combined with several delays due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the movie has been collecting dist on the shelf for some time now. To put things into perspective, the film that Kenneth Branagh made after Death on the Nile, the Oscar-nominated Belfast, was released at the end of last year. With that said, let the battle of the whodunnits begin!

Cover Photo: 20th Century Studios

While both films have their benefits and drawbacks, the truth of the matter is that Knives Out is a far more sound picture than Death on the Nile. While Branagh is in top form here, the writing, in particular, is sub-par. Then there’s the cast, which has aged as well as a batch of prison pruno when compared to Rian Johnson’s casting in his whodunnit. This isn’t to say that Death on the Nile is a terrible film, but it also feels like it’s hard to decipher who this movie is catering to. Ultimately, the only mystery left here is what went wrong with the film.

Overall Winner: Knives Out

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