Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar
A recently divorced Agatha Christie turns an Iraqi archaeological dig into a dangerous laboratory for detective fiction when murder strikes the expedition.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- nostalgic
- witty
- suspenseful
- cozy mystery night
- period drama evening
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an enjoyable, nostalgic whodunit whose clean murder-mystery pleasures outweigh its limited depth and predictable twists.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Agatha Christie herself investigates murders among the archaeological party.
The murders unfold at a dig in Iraq endangered by a proposed British government oil field.
The reception specifically highlights nostalgic comfort and good clean murder alongside the film's traditional whodunit framing.
The film places the real Agatha Christie and archaeological figures into a fictional murder plot with alternate-history elements.
Films like Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar, and why
Death on the Nile
period whodunit with archaeological intrigue, murders, and a comforting traditional mystery tone
Murder on the Orient Express
historical murder mystery centered on an ensemble of suspects and a famous investigator figure
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
nostalgic British period mystery combining romance, elegant settings, and cleanly structured murder investigation
Movie Details
- Director
- Sam Yates
- Release Date
- 2019-12-15
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 5.7 / 10 (88)
Cast
- Lyndsey Marshal
- Jonah Hauer-King
- Bronagh Waugh
- Rory Fleck-Byrne
- Jack Deam
- Katherine Kingsley
- Crystal Clarke
- Stanley Townsend
- Liran Nathan
- Waj Ali
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- PBS Masterpiece Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar about?
- A recently divorced Agatha Christie turns an Iraqi archaeological dig into a dangerous laboratory for detective fiction when murder strikes the expedition.
- What is Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar as moderate.
- What did critics think of Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar?
- Critics broadly found the film an enjoyable, nostalgic whodunit whose clean murder-mystery pleasures outweigh its limited depth and predictable twists.
- Which films are like Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar?
- Films with a similar feel include Death on the Nile, Murder on the Orient Express, and The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side.
- How long is Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar?
- Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar?
- In United States, Agatha and the Curse of Ishtar streams on PBS Masterpiece Amazon Channel.
