Search: Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Elton has free reign to give life to just about any flight of fancy, but what he produces is quite ordinary.

Much Ado About Nothing was like being given a surprise invite to a lavish summer party in Tuscany; this feels more akin to being trapped in a 'back to nature' weekend theatre workshop where the actors are having a lot more fun than you.

Branagh has an easy way with a camera and isn't afraid of sentiment, but he offsets this with a good line in comedy that cuts through the softer stuff like an astringent.

The reason Branagh's adaptation of the Charles Perrault tale is a success, is that it sticks fully to the formula of the story and doesn't try to do anything irritatingly postmodern with it.

Despite the obligatory happy ending, Dead Again is an enjoyable experience.

By this point in his career, Ken Branagh had found his voice and a set of skills to match his confidence.

It seems some alloy of leaden and brazen.

The script is clunky and the plot cannot be taken seriously

Lacks originality.

A bit kitsch and over the top, but in a good way.

If Ustinov emphasised the humour of Poirot and Suchet the meticulousness, Branagh manages to bridge the two, while also bringing an unexpected note of soulfulness and melancholy to his performance.

This cannot really be recommended as a cinematic experience. However, it's a thrilling piece of theatre, and a good chance to see two of the country's most capable actors at their best.

The ideas are so shamelessly out-there and imaginatively employed that it's hard not to get caught up in it all.