It has been a few years since the most famous representation of Poirot took his bow, so credit to the BBC for thinking it is worth a shot to return to the character. The obvious challenge is how to do something with a character so familiar - one who has been mined for darkness just as much as he has for comedy. In taking this on this miniseries plunges into the darkness, putting the main character into a dark place while doing the same for the murders and suspect. It is three hours of television and mostly it seems to be spent wallowing in this aspect. It is professionally enough made to find some value in this though, and there are elements of it that work well, but too often it seems to be deliberately grim for the sake of it, and deduction, or any thrill of a chase, are very much left out in the cold.
Malkovich seems to have divided opinion, but I think he did a good job with what he was asked to deliver. His accent wanders but he convinces as a man with his best days behind him, and a lot of weight on his shoulders. The material behind that performance is not as good, but he is not at fault for that. 'Opposite' him is Farren, who is very strong in an odd and tortured role - he brings with him the same weird threat that he did so well in Twin Peaks. Beyond these two the cast features well-known faces who do well without threatening to take the limelight - Grint, Henderson, and the upcoming Chalotra to name a few.
Overall though, this miniseries was a bit too grim and focused on the morbid to engage - even in the way it seemed to want us to. There are high points and strengths, but mostly it felt a bit like work.
Malkovich seems to have divided opinion, but I think he did a good job with what he was asked to deliver. His accent wanders but he convinces as a man with his best days behind him, and a lot of weight on his shoulders. The material behind that performance is not as good, but he is not at fault for that. 'Opposite' him is Farren, who is very strong in an odd and tortured role - he brings with him the same weird threat that he did so well in Twin Peaks. Beyond these two the cast features well-known faces who do well without threatening to take the limelight - Grint, Henderson, and the upcoming Chalotra to name a few.
Overall though, this miniseries was a bit too grim and focused on the morbid to engage - even in the way it seemed to want us to. There are high points and strengths, but mostly it felt a bit like work.