Moustache on the Orient Express

This is a movie which takes much of its inspiration from another movie, which gets inspiration from a book by Agatha Christie. Hercule Poirot, who considers himself to be possibly the greatest detective alive (debatable) is in the middle of solving yet another troublesome case- he just can't seem to be served two eggs of the same size for breakfast, and a relic has been stolen from Jerusalem with three religious leaders the accused. Turns out none of the suspects are guilty, and when Poirot brilliantly solves the case, he's off on a well deserved holiday, where he hopes to find himself with too much time on his hands.

Poirot gains a place on The Orient Express, along with a number of colourful characters, and it soon becomes clear that a man by the name of Ratchett plans to make himself known to the detective very quickly. Ratchet is on the run from more than a few dark characters, but Poirot smells a rat and refuses to protect him, despite the many "enthusiastic requests" issued by the amateur art dealer.

Yet Ratchett doesn't have to worry for long, since he is rendered very dead by an enemy. The journey of The Orient Express very quickly comes to a halt, as does the short-lived holiday of the great detective, and  Poirot begins the great process of questioning all the suspects. 

Through the very detailed accounts of each passenger, it isn't long before we and Poirot release that each alibi is steadfast, despite the very vast grounds for motive each individual possesses. The case becomes more a question of morality than guilt.

For the most part, the characters, landscapes, storyline, direction and soundtrack were outstanding. Each character was superbly brought to life so as to warrant individual movies, but consequently, it seemed that each was constantly pitted against the other for centre stage. While the provision of detailed character origins can be considered a merit of this film, they also get lost in the back-and-forth design of the plot, so that it becomes difficult to piece the facts together. One cannot help but think that if the film had been delivered in the form of a play it would have been all the more riveting,   considering that in the format of a film, characters teetered on the edge of being so theatrical so as to almost be unrelatable. 

Don't get me wrong, this is a good film. It was an enormous feat of all involved to take so much complicated material and turn it into such an elegant piece, especially with so little time to work with. I can help but feel that all the elements worked wonderfully on their own, but simply didn't come together as neatly as they could have. Did I enjoy the film-Yes, am I anxiously awaiting the release of the DVD so I can watch it again- Probably not (sorry).

3 out of 5 

Thunder and Lightening

Immediately we find our hero dangling from the ceiling, bound by chains in a fiery cavern, and just when we think he is breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to us, we realise that instead he is striking up a conversation with... a skeleton. The scene is then set: Asgard is doomed to face Ragnarok (the end of all things) and Thor's current predicament suggests his imminent fate is not too far off from that of his homeland. An epic battle ensues between Thor and Surtur (the blazing captor) and ends with Thor claiming the crown that had the power to wipe out Asgard, and finally returning home.

Cue one of my favourite Marvel characters ever: Loki (Who gets a lot of screen time in this film I am very pleased to say) The god of mischief has been very busy building his kingdom since Thor has been away searching for Infinity Stones, and there are a lot of new family issues to overcome. There is a quick appearance from Doctor Strange, and father and sons are reunited and made aware of the arrival of  Hela- the goddess of death who also happens to be Thor and loki's older sister.

The Grandmaster soon takes control of the brothers, but while Thor is forced to have a battle to the death with the Hulk, Loki is welcomed into his inner circle. This won't be a return to old ways for Loki though, and when the opportunity presents itself, he is a key player in organising an escape. 

Many very exciting battles down the track, and we find the Asgardians on the brink of extinctinction- and this is where I leave you, as I have already given too much away!

My advice: go and see this film... right now! I have to say that when the movie first started, I was a little worried about the tone, it seemed a lot more comical than previous Thors, and even other films in the Marvel Conematic Universe; but it soon found the perfect balance. The film is action packed with the right amount of heart and there is a lot of character development, which was super enjoyable to watch. You'll find that your perceptions about certain characters and their place in the battle to come may have changed by the end of this film, and that is quite amazing at this point in the story. Well done Taika and all those involved.

4 out of 5