After being postponed for two years for various reasons ranging from post-production issues to a global pandemic and a bizarre scandal involving male star Armie Hammer, Kenneth Branagh’s new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile is finally in theaters.

Following Branagh’s first screen adaptation of a Christie novel, Murder on the Orient Express (2017), movie fans have been wondering if his new murder mystery was just fated with bad luck, or really as bland as the previous film.

Christie’s mystery tales have been captivating readers for nearly a century with their vintage charm. So why do Branagh’s versions keep underperforming?

In 1937 Egypt, Detective Poirot (Branagh) is invited as an extra guest aboard a luxurious yacht doubling as a wedding reception and honeymoon venue for Simon Doyle (Hammer) and Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot).

Other guests include Simon’s former fiancée and Linnet’s old friend Jackie de Bellefort (Emma Mackey), Linnet’s previous boyfriend Linus Windlesham (Russell Brand), Linnet’s personal maid Louise (Rose Leslie), Poirot’s longtime friend Bouc (Tom Bateman) and his new lady friend Rosalie (Laetitia Wright).

Annette Bening plays Bouc’s mother, Sophie Okonedo co-stars as Rosalie’s aunt and the UK comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders even appear.

Barely into the wedding festivities, melodrama and suspense reign as the guests cruise along the majestic Nile River.

Death on the Nile is a little bit of good and bad cinematically. The cast has a nice variety of faces and talent, especially Leslie and Wright, who are both charismatic in their roles. Bening, Okonedo, and the French and Saunders team seem to be having fun with their characters, while Branagh and Hammer amp up the melodrama for everyone.

Brand’s participation seems a bit of an afterthought, while Gadot is unfortunately the weakest link among the stars.

Though the story is set primarily in Egypt, all of Death on the Nile was shot in London, with computer graphics and green-screen techniques obvious.

I do think Branagh’s direction is a little more interesting and versatile this time around compared to Orient Express, but that could also be because the setting is more elaborate than a train. Without spoiling too much, the casting of French and Saunders in their roles is surprisingly inspired and even a little sweet to lighten the mood as well.

But to a large extent, Death on the Nile is forgettable, especially compared to John Guillermin’s 1978 film adaptation. Death on the Nile might be a better choice than Kat Coiro’s Marry Me, but you would probably do better this month with one of the Oscar nominees instead.