Highly Overrated But Still Good

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

It's ironic that even though David Suchet is inarguably the best and most beloved Hercule Poirot, my favorite film adaptations aren't the ones he stars in. Evil Under the Sun, starring Peter Ustinov as the famous literary Belgium detective, is extremely entertaining. Not only is the story itself one of the most intriguing of Agatha Christie's mysteries, but the supporting cast makes it a cinematic delight. Maggie Smith, James Mason, Sylvia Miles, Diana Rigg, Roddy McDowall, Jane Birkin, Colin Blakely, Nicholas Clay, Denis Quilley, and Emily Hone are all staying at the beautiful hotel where a terrible crime might be committed. Peter predicts something bad will happen, since so much hatred is in the air, and there is evil everywhere under the sun, and when something does, he has to use his famous little gray cells to find the culprit.Evil Under the Sun is a very fun mystery to watch because of the beautiful, lush setting. The art deco furnishings of the hotel, combined with the adorable costumes and tropical island backdrop, make every scene a treat for the eye. Maggie Smith is particularly adorable, as is James Mason, playing a "yes, dear" husband to Sylvia Miles. For a mystery you'll never figure out, and for interesting suspects you'll love to hate, check out Evil Under the Sun.

The best of the Agatha Christie movies I have seen till now.Yes it follows the same formula as any other movie adapted from Christie's work. Yes we still have the detective rounding up all the suspects and explaining the plot. But it's really the cast of characters and the sharp writing that makes this the most enjoyable of the lot.Peter Ustinov is as good as he's ever been as Poirot. I have read the book and I think the book lends itself more to a cinematic style than some of her other books. It has a tight plot and a surprising ending. And the ending managed to hold the same impact as it had years ago when I read the book.Evil Under the Sun is a winner because it is able to capture the essence of her books and her style.

After the success of "Murder on the Orient Express" (1974) the producers decided to exploit the same formula for more Dame Agatha Christie on the silver screen: an exotic (or at least enclosed) location--the train in "Orient Express" or the ship in "Death on the Nile"; a cast of notable actors/stars and a clever, witty script.Paul Dehn turned in a sparkling script for "Murder on the Orient Express" that in subtle ways improved on the book while remaining remarkably faithful to it. When Dehn died at 63 before "Death on the Nile" he was replaced by Anthony Shaffer for "Death on the Nile." Anthony Shaffer ("Sleuth") was the younger brother of Peter ("Amadeus") and while his script is witty and charming (eliminating a lot of unpleasant characters and events to keep the story frothy) it tends toward the humor is often low (at one point a character is told "Go play with yourself." Shaffer's script also moves the action from a place off the coast of England to sunnier climes. And, in a wonderfully welcome change, he changes a tawdry heroine-smuggling subplot digression into a stolen-diamond caper more germane to the story.While Paul Dehn's improvements to "Orient Express" were for tightening and sparkle (he gave M. Bouc's character a line at the end Christie was a fool not to have thought of!), Shaffer's changes radically alter the book. They include a sex change, turning one character from a female to a flamboyant male character for Roddy McDowell. While Shaffer's story isn't bad and makes a fun movie, it's not Christie."Evil Under the Sun" is the third in the series kicked off by "Murder on the Orient Express" (1974) of glamorous, all-star Christies. But whereas "Orient Express" boasted luminaries like Sean Connery, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Michael York, Jacqueline Bisset and John Gielgud; and "Death on the Nile" was nearly as jam-packed with star names; "Evil Under the Sun" boasts an aging James Mason, the underrated Roddy McDowell, a radiant Diana Rigg, and a the then-rising talent Nicholas Clay.By this time, too, this Christie series was slowly turning into a stock company. This was the second outing for Maggie Smith and Jane Birkin from "Death on the Nile"); and for Denis Quilley and Colin Blakeley (from "Murder on the Orient Express").The biggest problem with "Evil" is Peter Ustinov. This was his second Poirot (Albert Finney was Poirot in "Murder on the Orient Express"), and he would go on to portray the Belgian detective an unbelievable four more times (all on television).Shaffer's story and character changes are damaging to Christie purists, but Ustinov bears no resemblance to Poirot. The best we can say is, he's a different detective with the same name.Giving Ustinov's clever but visually dissatisfying Poirot and the radical revamping of both the story and the character, "Evil Under the Sun" put an end to the hitherto promising Brabourne/Goodwin productions of Agatha Christie. And rightfully so. Fun as it can be, the movie detours from their original intention, from "Murder on the Orient Express" to do Christie "right." However good Shaffer's story is, its deviations from Christie are not insignificant.The diminishing of star talent in this series, and its gradually turning the movies in to a repertory company with fully half the actors returning from earlier movies--whether due to budgetary concerns or whatever--makes this the last, and least, of a once-promising line. Enjoy "Evil Under the Sun" for what it is, but don't rush out and read the book thinking it's the same. It ain't.

Great film, escapist entertainment. While attempting to figure out who did it, I enjoyed the repartee (Have a sausage, dear!)between Daphne & Arlena. Arlena looks mah-velous! I do want to find a robe like Hercule Poirot's, that robe he wore to the beach - where can I find something like that? The cinematography is wonderful and I wondered where it was filmed - Balearic Islands, Mallorca - but the scenery looks more like the Tyrrhenian Sea or the Greek Islands. I wished I could go to this Mediterranean hotel and spend a blissful few days, traipsing around in my flowing dress or colorful bathing costume. I had no clue as to how the murder was committed or who did it - all the characters had a reason to wish Arlena dead, even her stepdaughter. I do think the final resolution was far-fetched and took so much planning - wishing someone dead is a lot less work than actually planning every minute of the morning to actually make it happen. Still, it was great entertainment worthy of a second or third viewing just to concentrate on the setting, scenery, and nostalgic period of the 20th century.