Agatha Christie's Seven Dials (2026 Chris Chibnall)

A two and a half hour version, in which it's pretty likely that Edward Bleumel is a bad guy and that he shot himself in the library - the real villain though was a surprise. The stuff about the Seven Dials sect with the clock faces though is just so much rubbish.

Mia McKenna-Bruce is able to carry it and is a spunky heroine who disobeys everything detective Martin Freeman tells her. With Helena Bonham-Carter

Distracting direction by Chris Sweeney, who has a tendency to throw in very high wide or overhead shots for no good reason. The blocking in the scene between McKenna-Bruce, Bonham-Carter and Alex Macqueen is so annoying as he's in the middle of the two and has to keep turning from one to the other - again, distracting. And so many clocks everywhere - not necessary.

And the photography is in the Murkovision beloved by Netflix (DP Luke Bryant). For example, have a look at this candlelit scene:

Compare to a shot from The Inspector Lynley Mysteries from 2003 (DP Graham Frake):

What do we think? Less realistic but sharper and more beautiful? Or, let's go to the beauty of Si Bell (from Miss Austen):

That's just delicious. But still ever so clear. See what I mean?

Anyway, it was quite enjoyable.

With Iain Glen, Hughie O'Donnell, Nabhaan Rizwan (Film Club), Corey Milchreest, Dorothy Atkinson, Mark Lewis Jones, Tim Preston.