All right. Before I start my review of this movie, I have to explain a few things. I am a HUGE Hercule Poirot fan, and I have read every book at least five times (I have them all). When I first started watching movies on any kind on a regular basis (meaning with the aid of Netflix), I decided to see what was available in the Hercule Poirot oeuvre. I’ve seen Peter Ustinov as Poirot (not bad), Albert Finney as Poirot (truly horrible), and I even more recently saw Alfred Molina as Poirot (ok, but didn’t fit the role at all).
I despaired of seeing a Poirot that fit–until I saw David Suchet as Poirot. Now, Suchet first started as Inspector Japp (a Poirot regular), and he was fine in that role, too. However, he is Hercule Poirot, no question about it. In fact, when I got an audio tape of Suchet reading an Agatha Christie novel, I was crushed when he began reading in a British accent. I mean, I know he’s not Belgian or French, but I didn’t realize how thoroughly I associate Suchet with Poirot until I heard his British accent.
Ahem. That is neither here nor there.
This is the first Poirot movie I’m reviewing on my blog. I have countless reviews in my personal archives because I have seen every movie and episode possible until the latest season–damn America for showing them a year later–but as this is the first for the blog, I’m going to state a few things you need to know.