Bad Times at the El Royale

The beginning stumped me, when it is not clear who is on which side of the barricade and what brought them to the hotel, as did the unexpected reveal of the multiple red herring storylines of the individual characters, which intentionally bring no surprises. However, the last act does not fit in at all with the previous events and for something long awaited brings a damn shortage of entertainment. Not to mention that, considering all the tough talk from before, it pulls its punches several times, even shamefully. It's a pity, especially because the setting and the cast are spot on. (12/04/2019)

I’m not saying I’m jumping in joy, but this retro stuff hit the spot of my mood and my tastes. If I had the skills to write and direct in Hollywood, stories with unpredictable characters and set in a small, often symbolic places like this would probably be the kind I’d be interested in the most; also thanks to the soundtrack, with which in this case Goddard checks all the boxes to build a period backdrop that is impossible not to love. It’s true that the script relies mostly on effect, that it lays down the cards too early and that you won’t find many memorable lines, but it’s still an adorably extravagant piece of filmmaking that, thanks to well timed explanatory flashbacks, has no trouble holding the attention of the viewer and keeping the tension about which of the interestingly written characters will come out with their head still on its place. The hotel itself is great, the actors are precise and it’s amazing how Goddard manages to defame the morals of America with only a handful of characters, a mysterious place and an even more mysterious filmstrip (though it’s not too hard to figure out which overseas idol committed the atrocities captured in it). It could certainly be more genre subversive and the escalation in the first half could be better, but I’m satisfied regardless. 75% (10/17/2018)

This is more functional and entertaining than any of Tarantino's films since Jackie Brown. Tarantino-esque films, where violence and corpses are not spared, have long worked better for me in the films of other creators. It's solidly cast, and while veteran Jeff Bridges caught my attention the most, no one drags the film down. It has an inventive screenplay, which I would only criticize for being a clever play that relies on the screenwriter's imagination. I prefer films that are capable of creating the impression of something real, where the factor of chance triggers a shocking sequence of events. Here, the meeting of people with a dirty past in one hotel complex represents madness, but it has order and, to some extent, makes sense. Overall impression: 75%. (11/23/2023)

Perhaps a little too long, but otherwise very, very, very good. The cast is dominated by the fantastic Jeff Bridges and the super-appealing Cynthia Erivo, the script is full of surprises and, thanks to its unpredictability, is decently suspenseful as well (as the finale approached, I was thinking that now truly anything could happen, except perhaps an alien invasion), the colorful cinematography and various directorial ideas match the song soundtrack, and Giacchino's instrumentals manage to impress appropriately. I literally fell in love with the scene with the singing and the dismantling of the floor, but it's far from the only great scene. I'll spare you the unfair comparisons to Tarantino. (08/26/2019)

I would give it 5 stars and would possibly be raving about the return to the dark 90s and how this is the best film of 2018 if it weren’t for some particular moments of the screenplay. This way the movie “only” qualifies for a pretty good genre film which reminds me of the best gangster movies of the 1990s put into a rainy, Seven-like feel. Have you noticed how the rain plays an important role in the atmosphere of similar films? It’s a pity I didn’t have the chance to experience a downpour comparable to the one in the movie in real life this year. Films are soon going to be the only thing reminding me of what rain even is. Anyway, from a film-making point of view Bad Times at The El Royale is a real smash. The closed setting of the hotel sometimes made me feel like I was watching an adaptation of some Agatha Christie detective novel. The well-written characters and dialogues then reminded me of Tarantino. Only here they fortunately didn't launch into endless discussions about nothing and most of the two and a half hours was pure action. All acting performances were brilliant but you gotta applaud Jeff Bridges in particular. (12/31/2018)