'A Haunting in Venice' review: Spooky-fun seance soiree with Hercule Poirot

Sep. 11—Kenneth Branagh didn't give us much time to miss Hercule Poirot.

Early 2022 brought the release of "Death on the Nile," an adaptation of an Agatha Christie mystery novel and the follow-up to actor-director Branagh's "Murder on the Orient Express" from 2017.

Now, about a year and a half later, Branagh is back in theaters as mustachioed Belgian detective Poirot with "A Haunting in Venice." (In fairness to Branagh, the release of "Death" was delayed more than once due to the pandemic, so, in a way, Branagh had more time to miss embodying the character than it may at first seem.)

Thankfully, the consistently engaging "Haunting" feels fresh in a way the nonetheless enjoyable "Death" didn't thanks to the addition of a spooky vibe to the series, stemming from the constant fear that a supernatural presence may be responsible for this round of killings.

A loose adaptation of Christie's 1969 novel, "Hallowe'en Party," by "Murder" and "Death" writer Michael Green, "Haunting" is set in 1947 — a decade after the events of the previous film — in, of course, Venice.

Poirot, drained from a life that has seen war, followed by constant criminal investigations, has retired in the Italian city, going so far as to hire a bodyguard — retired police officer Vitale Portfoglio (Richard Scamarcio, "John Wick: Chapter 2") — to keep those seeking his help away from him. (In a very funny moment, Vitale casually pushes an approaching fellow from a walkway above one of the city's synonymous canals into the water, allowing Poriot to proceed steadily on his way.)

However, the former detective allows a longtime acquaintance to see him. And, unsurprisingly, mystery writer Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), who long ago helped create his reputation for sleuthing, wants his help on a case, one seemingly without plausible explanation.

"You are not the first person to come to seduce me with some irresistible case," he says as he turns her down.

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Yet Ariadne persists, saying that she — the smartest person she knows — can't figure it out, so she has come to the second smartest.

He, of course, gives in, soon finding himself with Ariadne at a seance at the decaying palazzo owned by famed opera singer Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly) on Halloween. Rowena's beloved daughter, Alicia died a year ago under mysterious circumstances, and the large home now seems to be haunted.

At the residence this night, along with Poirot, Ariadne, Rowena and Vitale:

— Maxime Gerard (Kyle Allen, "West Side Story"), a New York chef with whom Alicia had a failed engagement

— Olga Seminoff (Camille Cottin, "Call My Agent"), Rowena's housekeeper, who was close with Alicia

— Dr. Leslie Ferrier (Jamie Dornan of Branagh's acclaimed "Belfast"), the Drake family doctor who is suffering from PTSD after serving as a military doctor for England during World War II

— Leopold Ferrier (Jude Hill, also of "Belfast"), Dr. Ferrier's son who acts much older than his 10 years

— Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), a famous clairvoyant who will lead the otherworldly ceremony

— and Nicholas (Ali Khan, "6 Underground") and Desdemona Holland (Emma Laird, "The Crowded Room"), a brother-and-sister duo serving as assistants to Joyce.

Poirot immediately clashes with Joyce, dismissing her as a mere opportunist and refusing to believe anyone can communicate with the dead.

But as one person soon dies — and another body drops later into the affair — this man of logic and reason will be forced to question his certainties.

The detective's loss of faith, both in humankind and in something more powerful, is an enduring theme in "A Haunting in Venice" that keeps the story relatable even as we are led to believe remarkable events are transpiring.

Branagh remains fun to watch as Poirot, even if he's having little fun at any point while engaged in trying to solve this growing mystery.

If "Haunting" comes up short in any area when compared with its predecessors, it's its supporting cast, which, despite some notable names, is just a little underwhelming.

Fey ("30 Rock") brings her distinct comical touch to Ariadne, but it's also hard to believe Poirot would have anything to do with this writer who is in need of a hit novel after a few recent flops.

And Reilly, who doesn't exactly exhibit the world's greatest acting on the hit series "Yellowstone" as the sassy Beth Dutton, is entirely forgettable here.

It's surprising, given his talent, that Dornan — seen recently in the Netflix action-spy movie "Heart of Stone" — isn't more impactful here.

The slack is picked up by Hill, who is 12 in actuality. He's a lot of fun as Leopold, who essentially is parenting his father and prefers Edgar Allan Poe to the sillier Charles Dickens.

The standout, though, is Yeoh, an Academy Award winner for last year's "Everything Everywhere All at Once." Her scenes opposite Branagh, in which Joyce and Poirot clash, simply crackle.

The script by Green — who condensed the time of Christie's story from several days to one night and moved the location from an English country house, finding inspiration in some of Christie's short stories, including "The Last Seance" — will keep you guessing, but only to a point. Some of the pieces are easier than others to put into place.

It hardly matters, as Branagh — with the help of other collaborators including director of photography Haris Zambarloukos ("Belfast"), production designer John Paul Kelly ("Blackbird"), editor Lucy Donaldson ("Breaking News in Yuba County"), composer Hildur Gudnadóttir ("Tar") — keeps things lively and, yes, even a little scary.

He should feel free to bring Hercule Poirot back again as quickly as he likes.

'A Haunting in Venice'

Where: Theaters.

When: Sept. 15.

Rated: PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images and thematic elements.

Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes.

Stars (of four): 3.