imperfection is perfection
Sporadic film reviews by a wanna-be filmmaker
BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE [2018]
Bad Times at the El Royale is the second feature film from writer/director Drew Goddard, who seems to have watched a few too many Tarantino films. Heavy on the exposition and light on the action, the film starts with a slow burn, the story chopped up into different chapters, each with a full-screen title to introduce it. Jumping from character to character, we watch scenes from their eyes, often witnessing an event that has already occurred but from a different vantage point, revealing more about the story and characters. This plot device has become very common but isn’t over used in this instance and it serves the film well, helping the tension to build. These scenes and a few flashback moments are constructed in a way that renders it easy to follow the chronology of the story. In this regard, El Royale is built very well and these scenes that fill the first two acts of film flow seamlessly.
Although the near flawless mechanics and the slow build up create an atmosphere that feels like an incoming missile, the great work is slightly ruined by some lackluster action scenes, some of it awfully predictable. It doesn’t last long – over quicker than expected, and the same can be said about the final act as a whole.
This disappointment is forgivable thanks to some rich characters who bring charisma to the screen, Chris Hemsworth as a Manson type cult leader being the most prominent. Jeff Bridges as Father Flynn is unsurprisingly fantastic, as is Cynthia Erivo: a singer with a personality that surprises. Jon Hamm as an FBI agent also brings something different to the table, though some of his lines designed to elicit laughs fall flat.
The hotel itself is a character, with a very dark past, and one element of this becomes an important part of the final act; though this mcguffin of sorts feels a little arbitrary. Built on the state line, amusingly half the hotel is in California, half in Nevada. There is also only one employee who is surprised and clearly rattled by so many people arriving at the hotel at once. Something about the hotel and the way it is presented gives it a personality, aided by an interesting and quiet first scene where the prize that is the centrepiece of the final act is laid underneath the floorboards of a room. But which room number?
Despite the array of characters, the plot never feels convoluted. It is believable and well written, both the story and the characters that inhabit it. The beginning of the final act is also entertaining as the Manson-like Hemsworth steals the show, along with his cohorts. But when the fire is lit, it is extinguished a little too fast. It is far from terrible, but some of it is clumsily executed, set-pieces failing to fall into place as well as they could have.
Tarantino fans will enjoy this film with ease, and Quintin’s ability to create supreme set-pieces is perhaps the reason for the action feeling a little underwhelming, as the film feels incredibly like a film made by him. Executed well for the most part, El Royale is a fun film with a long run-time that flies by. If only that final act had delivered what the first two promised.
Once over, the story feels unfinished. Why did so many people arrive at this run-down hotel at once? How do the news stories shown on television relate to
the story, as one story seems to bother Darlene? There is also nothing to lead us to believe that most of the characters know about the prize buried in one of the rooms, so consequently, the arrival of so many people in such a short time-span seems unbelievable.
But hey, its only a movie, right? If anything, it is certainly memorable.
4/6
11 Comments on “BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE [2018]”
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imperfection is perfection 
Great review man. This sounds wild.
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Great review! I liked this too, but I think it would’ve made a better mini series. It was very Tarantino-y. I thought that a bit while watching.
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Tarantino-y but without the action set-pieces. I loved the build up but I thrw my hands up at the end, like…. ‘it THAT ALL?!’ A mini-series woulda suited it I agree. And much more action
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This bored me so bad
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Yeah it wasn’t all that exciting, not a whote lot happened did it?
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nice web site jordy
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thanks mate!
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Great review. I liked it, too, but I thought it was a bit too long. Stuff happened, but it could have been done in a shorter time frame (do we really need 2 minutes to show Hemsworth woo-ing the girl on the beach or 1 minute of him walking through the field?). Also, you’re right Hemsworth, Erivo and Daniels stand out, but I also really liked Lewis Pullman (do you know he’s Bill Pullman’s son?)
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I did not know that! He was the hotel worker?
I didn’t notice how long it was, i like slow burn build ups like that. I agree they went overboard with the Hemsworth shirtless/pants barely staying up scenes, but I still feel that the action was incredibly uinderwhelming. And short. I left very disappointed but I actually really loved the first two acts.
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Thank you for your review! As for your questions: the murder was committed by the crazy sister of Dakota Johnson, and Nixon was there to give us some background, I guess for the story of Jon Hamm’s investigation (about Bob Kennedy? About JFK?)…
Anyway, I loved the movie! I leave you the link to my review, in case you’re curious about it:
https://vengonofuoridallefottutepareti.wordpress.com/2018/11/27/bad-times-at-el-royale-extraordinary-english/
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I might just do that, though i was seriously disappointed in the final act, I’d have to be mighty bored to watch it again
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