Murder on the Orient Express (2017)

This Murder on the Orient Express is an all-star dinner party where the host never lets anyone else talk. Kenneth Branagh directs, plays Poirot and gives himself every close-up, while Judi Dench, Penélope Cruz and Willem Dafoe get about a scene each to do more than look suspicious from a doorway. That’s a lot of talent parked in sleeper cars. Branagh also bolts on action that Poirot never needed, a chase across a wooden trestle and a scuffle or two, as if a mystery couldn’t hold you on its own. It looks gorgeous, all snow, brass and polished wood, and the shot that watches the crime scene from straight above is a smart, eerie choice. Michelle Pfeiffer is the standout as a chatty traveler with more layers than her luggage. Johnny Depp makes a perfectly slimy Ratchett. It made $352.8 million worldwide on a reported $55M. A 5.4 because it’s a pretty train with too many passengers and one driver. $834.67 says you suspect everyone at your next family gathering and solve absolutely nothing.

What works: The snowbound train looks gorgeous, and Michelle Pfeiffer gives the most layered performance of the bunch.

What doesn’t: A huge cast gets squeezed into tiny roles so Branagh’s Poirot can hog the spotlight, and the added action scenes feel out of place.

Who it’s for: People new to the story who want a handsome, old-fashioned whodunit on a snowy night.