A Deadly Invitation

Watched Spain's 2023 A Deadly Invitation (1:33:09). Millionaire Olivia Hernandez Gallegos sends out invitations to her sister Agatha, who hosts a podcast titled _Unsolved Mysteries_, to her ex-husband, Carlos, and to former associates to join her in her island villa in Los Cabos, Mexico. Included in the company are a doctor, an actor, a former business partner and her boyfriend, and two household staff members.

On their first night, Olivia hosts dinner in her yacht, during which she reminds everyone that each and every one of them has an excellent reason for wanting her dead. Later that night she does die, her demise reminiscent of but not identical to Linnet Doyle's in Death on the Nile. The story proceeds as an investigation conducted by Agatha as a female Hercule Poirot and an Inspector Julian as her assistant.

This movie showcases fabulous visuals with its settings, props, and clothes. Like an Agatha Christie novel, however--and note that the protagonist is even named Agatha--it is dialogue-heavy, relies on a lot of exposition, and is so cleverly constructed that it couldn't possibly happen in real life. It is nonetheless safe screening due to the absence of violence and coarse language.