Yes, as it has been said by others, it is slow moving at the beginning. We are introduced to two principle characters. First, John Malkovich's rendition of Hercule Poroit. He is an aging man who is discounted because he is foreigner living in London. The man who he comes to see about some letters he has received has a heart attack. This puts him in contact with the man who replaced him. This man despises him. The other character is the cold blooded guy who seems to be following the victims. Let me say, I've read most of Agatha Christie's books, so...... Of course, this is the book where victims follow an ABC pattern, not just their names, but the places the murders take place. I think things are really set up nicely. But it will depend on Malkovich's (one of our superior actor's) portrayal of the Belgian detective and how he is able to deal with the obstacles.