Murder On The Orient Express Review: 6 Ups & 6 Downs

2. It's A Totally Unnecessary Adaptation

This is the fourth screen adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express, and while the most lavish version by a measure, it also can't help but feel pretty unnecessary.

The arguably even more star-studded 1974 Sidney Lumet version remains the most-praised adaptation to date, earning six Oscar nominations and proving enormously successful at the box office.

Then there's the 2010 episode of Agatha Christie's Poirot based on the novel, which was lauded for its unique approach to the material, effectively doing enough different to be a worthwhile alternate take.

This third major adaptation (there's also a 2001 Alfred Molina-starring TV movie) feels like the most perfunctory and needless of the lot, because given the film's generally enclosed, confined nature, the big budget doesn't add a whole lot more than CGI exteriors and a fleet of A-list actors who don't even begin to get their due.