Review- And Then There Were None (9/10)

"The killer is not out there. It is one of us."                                                                                                                      -Justice Lawrence

There have been many adaptions and versions of this famous Agatha Christie novel over the years, but BBC's mini series they pumped out last year is by far one of the best.

Our story begins with ten people, who have no initial connection or ties to each other, receiving an invitation for an extended period of stay at a mansion on Soldier Island. All around the house there are copies of the nursery rhyme-like poem "Ten Little Soldiers" detailing the demise of each soldier in a different manner. One by one throughout their stay, the guests meet their end in a similar manner described in the poem.

There's something to be said about a story that refuses to die. A novel that was written in the 1930's and is still just as thrilling as the day it was written is a massive accomplishment. Granted, some things have changed since the novel's publication in the 30's due to political correctness (boo), but the story at its core is a page turner. Every twist and turn is fresh and exciting, and the plot was written so well that literally anyone could be the killer. Top notch story and storytelling.

The whole cast is superb, but Toby Stephens' acting was rather impressing. It was interesting to see him play a frazzled and paranoid individual who is the complete opposite of his character Captain James Flint in Starz's own Black Sails.

The BBC always puts out great work, and they definitely deliver with their rendition of And Then There Were None. The cinematography was beautiful, and with the foreboding music accompanying most of the shots set the mood perfectly for the grim tale to follow. The scenes of Ms. Claythorne swimming at the beach were gorgeous, and the way each person's story unfolds is very well done. BBC has always been on the cutting edge of avant garde filmmaking that you rarely see in Hollywood, and this is no exception.

At it's heart, this film is a ghost story. Thoroughly haunted through and through. But not by spirits. People carry their memories and experiences with them, and sometimes the ghosts of the past can be just as haunting as a specter in the night.