The director releases “Death on the Nile” and “Belfast” almost at the same time, two films that confirm the versatility of his filmography

Kenneth Branagh is a happy filmmaker. Not all his films are comedies, on the contrary, his most ambitious film has been Hamlet (1996) based on the tragedy by William Shakespeare, the favorite author of the actor, screenwriter, producer, and director. The energy that he transmits in his work is at times pure motivation and at others, it can be passed to the other side. But either way, Branagh has done his best to never be typecast. He loves what he does and it shows.

Kenneth Branagh was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, on December 10, 1960. From a Protestant family, they all moved to London when the violence in the city made it very difficult to stay in his birthplace.

At the age of eighteen, he entered the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and shortly after finishing his studies he had already begun an acting career. Before turning twenty-nine, he directed his first feature film, which in turn would be his first adaptation of William Shakespeare: Henry V (1989). 

Two Oscar nominations, as director and screenwriter, made people call him the new Laurence Olivier. Branagh’s acknowledged ego made him feel that nothing would stop him, but in his second film, he showed something that would characterize him completely, the change in tone, style, genre, and aesthetics. Die Again (1991) didn’t work out, but that didn’t put off the ever-optimistic Ken.

Peter’s Friends (1992) was followed by another great Shakespeare adaptation: Much Ado About Nothing (1993), in which he cast actors such as Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, and Keanu Reeves, much to the horror of purists. In this first stage, he always worked with the actress Emma Thompson, with whom he was married for several years.

Frankenstein (1994) was his next craze and after that, he made a complete adaptation of Hamlet lasting four hours and with another huge cast that included Branagh himself in the title role and names as different as Kate Winslet, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Charlton Heston, Julie Christie, Gérard Depardieu, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, Judi Dench and her admirer Derek Jacobi, the actor who awakened in Branagh the vocation of acting.

He also pursued an acting career, working on a Harry Potter film as well as for Woody Allen. He became one of Christopher Nolan’s favorite actors and had a great time with a diverse and successful career.

He was one of the great directors to agree to work for Marvel, directing the successful Thor (2011). He also directed a Jack Ryan movie and a great version of Cinderella. But his last bet for the big box office was to become Hercule Poirot, the great detective created by Agatha Christie.

Image Credit: 20th Century Studios

He did very well with Murder on the Orient Express (2017) and now he plays it again in Death on the Nile, both films directed by him, not just starring. In these films, Branagh gives himself the luxury of making fun of himself and questioning himself. Poirot, beyond pure entertainment, is an interesting reflection on reason versus emotion. But it’s a good time to remember that Branagh also played another very famous police character, none other than Kurt Wallander, the character from the Henning Mankell novels, in the British version of the series.

Now, in the run-up to the Oscar, Kenneth Branagh also surprised everyone with another film, Belfast (2021), which reached the main nominations, including three for him as director, producer, and screenwriter. A look at his own childhood, filmed in black and white, but with some color scenes.

A very exciting and beautiful film. The versatility of the director was perfectly exposed with these two premieres that can be seen in many parts of the world at the same time. Kenneth Branagh, the filmmaker who does not believe that you have to choose between two types of cinema and who, with a career spanning more than thirty years, never ceases to amaze.