Death on the Nile (2022)

We’re back with a new episode! We dove into Death on the Nile, the 2022 Kenneth Branagh adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel, and wow do we have thoughts. We get right into it, covering the character of Poirot and how we rank Branagh’s version compared to the previous two we explored on the podcast. We talk about the fundamental elements of the detective, and consider why we felt this movie missed the mark. We discuss the lack of connection we had to varying degrees, and wonder how much of it had to do with the “style over substance” approach and how it seemed to cater to a general audience. We did, however, admire the costumes and production design (despite the terrible CGI), thought the actual mystery part was adapted well, and believe the attempts at color conscious casting were at least partially successful. We also agreed that the actors did great work with what they were given, but wish these production studios did more to vet the histories and behavior of who they cast. Katy gets her Marvel movies mixed up, Carrie quietly drops some Cleopatra facts, Maddy questions the historical accuracy of balloon releases, and Mack breaks down the patriarchy (it’s not about horses). We wonder why every modern hero needs traumatic backstories, enjoy the addition of lesbians, discuss actors who feel weird in period pieces, and ask Mack to answer the age-old question, “Why do men suck so much?” We also cover bullet sizes, Jurassic Park, the Bryan Cranston Effect, dance floor humping, and unions. Listen to hear an incredible Branagh Poirot impression!

“Every decision they made was the wrong decision.” - Carrie

TW: Anti-vax views, cannibalism, colonialism, racism, appropriation of ancient and modern Egyptian culture, vore. Mentions of Armie Hammer, Russell Brand, Gal Gadot, Johnny Depp

Show Notes:

• The Adam Sandler SNL vacation video Maddy mentioned can be found here.

• Carrie would like to apologize for calling Emma Mackey Emma Corey multiple times. The actress who played Jackie is definitely Emma Mackey and she is an incredible talent.