Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 26, 2022

Agatha and the Truth of Murder purported to offer a bit of "alternative history" with regard to the infamous (and still largely unsolved) disappearance of Dame Agatha Christie in 1926, positing the writer as a detective herself hot (maybe) on the trail of the murderer of Florence Nightingale's goddaughter. That telefilm rather smartly wove together actual facts and a liberal dose of fiction, and it evidently must have registered strongly enough with viewers that two follow up films (thus far) have been produced (with all three offering knowing "insider" screenplays by Tom Dalton). One of the subplots of Agatha and the Truth of Murder was Christie's disintegrating marriage to first husband Archie (a reason armchair psychologists have long proffered as at least a contributing factor to Agatha's disappearance), and Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar picks up the story after her divorce. The fact that all three made for television films featuring Agatha as a would be sleuth feature different actresses in the lead role may cause a bit of wobbliness in terms of appreciating the three as a "series", but Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar, while arguably having a few lapses in logic and a perhaps too prevalent emphasis on supposed humor, will probably entice fans of Christie's actual mysteries, especially fans who delighted in Hercule Poirot's visits to archaeological digs in such pieces as Appointment with Death and Murder in Mesopotamia.

Once again Dalton weaves fact and fiction fairly felicitously, with Agatha (Lyndsey Marshal) newly divorced and thinking of branching out from detective novels by writing romance tomes. That decision doesn't sit particularly well with Christie's publishers, who are expecting the latest bestseller to feature Hercule Poirot, and in a nicely written vignette, Dalton clearly shows both Christie's vulnerable, slightly insecure, side, as well as her steeliness as she negotiates the publication of both proposed books. She's already befriended self-described provocateur Katharine Woolley (Katherine Kingsley), whose husband Leonard (Jack Deam) is an archeologist with a dig in Iraq, and when Christie says she wants to "research romance", Katharine suggests there's no better place for that than Iraq.

An opening vignette documenting a death has already introduced dashing young archeologist Max Mallowan (Jonah Hauer-King), and suffice it to say that once Agatha arrives in Iraq under less than optimum circumstances, she discovers Mallowan dazed and bloody from a recent gunshot. The film probably tries a bit too hard to develop a "sparring partner" relationship between the two, though anyone who's read the actual history involved is probably going to know that Agatha wound up marrying the somewhat younger Mallowan and stayed with him for the rest of her life. While there's already been a suspicious death at the dig (documented in that aforementioned opening scene), it's actually the horrifying hanging of Katharine's pet monkey that really gets Agatha's detective juices flowing.

There are the "traditional" group of potential suspects gathered at the palatial mansion of one Marmaduke Ponsun (Rory Fleck Byrne), who is funding the dig, but this screenplay never really provides enough intrigue about any of them, with several subplots kind of left dangling as a result. And while the denouement is perfectly Christie-like in its own way, it actually may leave some scratching their heads over the flagrant display of the dead monkey earlier in the story, which Agatha correctly deduces was not killed by hanging, but whose staged death would seem to be completely out of character for who the culprit is revealed to be.

Some of the comedy actually lands rather well, including Agatha unfortunately running over Max (twice) while trying to get him to a hospital after she finds him shot. There's also an amusing scene where a distraught Agatha, assuming she's dealing with yet another Iraqi who doesn't speak English, draws out what she needs to a prospective savior, only for him to speak perfect English and assume she's mute. Other bits are really pretty forced, including a running gag that the Wooleys engage in very loud and boisterous lovemaking at the virtual drop of a hat.

This was evidently shot back to back in Malta with the third made for television film featuring Agatha Christie as a detective, Agatha and the Midnight Murders, and there's a certain exotic sweep to this production. Marshal is certainly a perfectly fine Christie, but it's just odd to see someone so manifestly different from Ruth Bradley in a role that is supposed to take place only a couple of years after Agatha and the Truth of Murder.

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Dazzler Media with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.00:1. There's no technical data of any substance that I could dredge up in doing background research in preparation for writing this review, but this is a competent digital capture that I'm assuming was finished at 2K. Detail levels are typically very good to excellent throughout, with things like fine muslin fabrics, the bristly hair on the (sadly deceased) monkey, or even blowing sand rendered without any real issues. As can probably be made out in many of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, the entire film is bathed in beiges, ochres, and other neutral tones, so that the palette can't really be said to "pop" in a traditional way. There's some not very convincing CGI in a couple of moments, notably a couple of scenes supposedly showing Agatha driving through the desert.

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar features DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 audio options. The surround track is not especially bombastic, but it definitely opens up the soundstage for many of the outdoor scenes at the dig, where things like gently swirling winds can waft through the side and rear channels. There's really not a ton of LFE other than one brief gunshot fairly late in the proceedings. The film has a really odd score by Oliver Coates, which can be rather effective at times, including early scenes with weird swooping sounds that almost intrinsically generate a sense of menace. But later Coates utilizes an extremely odd approach, as if someone is just randomly hitting piano keys, a technique that almost willfully drew me out of the viewing experience it was so bizarrely off putting. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There are no supplements offered on this disc.

Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's a lot to admire in Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar, but for this inveterate Agatha Christie lover, it just didn't quite meet the high bar set by Agatha and the Truth of Murder. Fans of the Hercule Poirot outings mentioned may find particular interest in this one, though, due to its setting and some of the subplots that are developed. Technical merits are generally solid for those who may be considering making a purchase.