The ABC Murders
Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 10
  3. Negative: 2 out of 10

Critic Reviews

  1. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Michael Haigis
    Jan 31, 2019
    38
    Phelps struggles to thematically relate the fascism that envelopes the show’s setting to the story’s events as they unfold, or even to Poirot’s modus operandi as a detective. The detective remains a cipher, humorlessly bearing the weight of a tragic origin story and a nation’s decay on his shoulders. In the end, The ABC Murders suffocates the enthralling, exciting qualities of a detective mystery beneath a layer of self-regarding grimness.
  2. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: Sophie Gilbert
    Feb 4, 2019
    30
    While everyone else is hamming it up playing monstrous psychopaths on an operatic scale, Malkovich wafts glumly from scene to scene, his facial expressions rarely more animated than someone trying to do long division in his head. ... It’s difficult to imagine what Phelps is trying to achieve by making her series so viscerally icky, and so intent on stirring things--and people--up.

User Reviews

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User Score
4.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 17
  3. Negative: 5 out of 17
  1. Zumadancer
    Feb 19, 2019
    0
    A blasphemy and abomination for any true fan of Hercule Poirot. Kenneth Branagh was awful in 'Murder on the Orient Express' but Malkovitch'sA blasphemy and abomination for any true fan of Hercule Poirot. Kenneth Branagh was awful in 'Murder on the Orient Express' but Malkovitch's performance here is a new low. He turned the delightful, and flamboyant Poirot into a dour, off-putting loner. How did Agatha Christe's estate allow this?… Full Review »
  2. OlivierPiel
    Feb 3, 2019
    4
    Read the Slant Magazine critique. The short TV serie has a beautiful photography, totally ruined by clichéd characters, ludicrous plotRead the Slant Magazine critique. The short TV serie has a beautiful photography, totally ruined by clichéd characters, ludicrous plot exposition and background and a very average Malkovitch performance (his French still sucks!).… Full Review »
  3. imthenoob
    Feb 19, 2019
    5
    At first, I genuinely hated it but it definitely grew on me as time went on. I still feel that it was way too overly sexualized and that GrintAt first, I genuinely hated it but it definitely grew on me as time went on. I still feel that it was way too overly sexualized and that Grint was criminally underused but I also appreciated the new take on Poirot. And Malkovich's performance grew on me as time went on. So much so that I wouldn't mind seeing more of him as Poirot.… Full Review »
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