A Haunting in Venice Parents Guide

I was able to screen A Haunting in Venice in order to write this A Haunting in Venice Parents Guide. All opinions are my own.

A Haunting in Venice is another fantastic movie starring Kenneth Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot. It starts off a little slow as it builds up to the main platform of the story – but all of it is important so watch and listen and wait. As soon as they get to the palazzo, it starts to get dark and shows several scenes with murder, near murder, and hauntings/thriller jump scares and scenes.

While A Haunting in Venice is based upon the novel “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie don’t count on it being very similar. I waited to read the book until after I saw the movie (I made the mistake of reading Death on the Nile before the movie came out – and was frustrated with all of the differences). From what I know about the book, it has several of the same plot points and most of the same characters, but overall it is very different from the book. This doesn’t bother me overly much, because the book has a lot of dark themes, and deals with killing children. The movie is different on those points.

With all that being said, I LOVED the movie and felt like it was the perfect amount of creepy/scary and mystery. All of the cast was on point and I felt like they strung the watcher along well, not really giving clues away as to who the murderer was until late in the movie. With the apparitions and paintings, as well as the jump scares and overall haunted theme of the movie – I wouldn’t take kids 10 and under for sure – and make sure any kids above that age are okay with scary movies. Read below in the parents guide for anything you think might be too much.

Overall I give it a solid 8/10. I wish that they would stick to the book a little more – but the movie in and of itself is very good and I am looking forward to seeing it again.

A Haunting in Venice opens in theaters on September 15, 2023

A Haunting in Venice is rated PG-13 for some strong violence, disturbing images, and thematic elements. It runs for 1hr 43m.

There are no end-credit scenes for A Haunting in Venice. When the credits start rolling, feel free to head out.

Sex & Nudity – 0/5 – There is nothing sexual or immodest in the film. Shows a couple dancing and a possible light kiss.

Violence & Gore – 3/5 – It shows a character getting thrown off a balcony and getting impaled by a statue. Another character is stabbed in the back. Someone is also almost downed (by force of being held underwater). Another character is shown drowning in a river.

Profanity – 2/5 – Multiple uses of Damn, God, Shit, Ass, Hell, Christ. Most uses of God are talking about Him in a religious sense.

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking – 0/5 – Pain/RX meds being taken. Alcohol being consumed.

Frightening & Intense Scenes – During the séance, there are several creepy/jump scares. And then it just snowballs from there. A ghost is seen as a reflection behind a man, singing and laughing, and a “child” running, a haunted basement that doesn’t exist, and several other things along those lines.

A Haunting in Venice is a great addition to the Agatha Christie book adaptations and I love how they changed it honestly. If they had stuck to the original book – I probably wouldn’t have been able to enjoy it as it is very dark. This would be a perfect date night movie – and it will be fun to add to our Halloween collection of movies.

A Haunting in Venice Parents Guide

A Haunting in Venice opens in theaters on September 15, 2023

About A Haunting in Venice:

20th Century Studios’ “A Haunting in Venice,” an unsettling supernatural thriller directed by Oscar® winner Kenneth Branagh based upon the novel “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie, is exclusively in theaters September 15, 2023.

The film stars Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot and features a brilliant acting ensemble portraying a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, and Michelle Yeoh.

“A Haunting in Venice” is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Reuniting many of the filmmakers behind 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and 2022’s “Death on the Nile,” the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green based upon Agatha Christie’s novel “Hallowe’en Party.” The producers are Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers.