Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

Good: The time period 1969 provides a great stylistic approach to a hotel that has property on both California and Nevada, which adds to the idea of having a good side and a bad side and the hotel also creates a sense of entrapment. The cinematography is great as it makes slow pans to unveil the secrets of the characters and the El Royale. The hotel, costume design, and soundtrack help create a nostalgic setting. The directing and editing are also well done when incorporating sound/music to scenes especially when Cynthia Ervio sings. Erivo's musical performance is filled with heart and soul and helps develop the character and conveys her emotions. Other standouts are Jeff Bridges and Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth just has a charming presence and provides the slight dark tone of his character. Bridges plays his character well as he connects with Erivo and tries to execute his actions. However, the rest of the cast have trouble making their appearance known...

Bad: At a whopping 2h 20m runtime, the film is a slow burn where it takes a painstakingly long time to make it to the end and even the finale becomes a disappointment. At times it tries to be funny, but the humor is not a standout in this film. There is a lack of emotional pull to the characters which is evident in the finale where the characters are still not fully developed. The concept was there, but the creativity lacked, which ended up in poor execution.

Overall: Style over substance. I wanted to like this movie for the trailer was great with its editing, soundtrack, and cast, but does not live up to Drew Godard's directing predecessor "The Cabin in the Woods," or have the writing creativity from "The Martian." The film reminded me a lot of Quentin Tarantino films as it was divided into chapters and had the same style with flashback stories to gain background, however, I would rather watch "Hateful Eight," or any of Tarantino films that have excellent dialogue and action.

2.9/5 (Not fresh)

Fmovies: So intriguing to start and then wastes all of its potential. Totally unnecessary run time, 20 minutes of which seems to be dedicated to launching Erivo's singing career I guess? The pacing is brutal. So many setups with no pay off. So disappointed.

First off let me say, Bat Times at the El Royale is most certainly not for everyone. The way the story unfolds and how information is withheld/presented is quite complex. Although this may make it a bit too convoluted for some, it makes it an absolute treat for anyone willing to dig beneath the surface and get analytical. Not unlike Cabin in the Woods (Drew Goddard's directorial debut), Bad Times plays with your expectations. Goddard takes painstaking care to build tension throughout a scene, only to have it all upended by a sudden twist. For that reason, I anticipate the reaction to this film will be divided, as many moviegoers simply don't like surprises or being unsure of what will happen. However, if you are a fan of Goddard's previous work, it's a safe bet that you'll like this one. I also need to talk about the cast, as they deliver an absolute treasure of an ensemble performance. Each person plays their part incredibly well, but Cynthia Erivo and Chris Hemsworth are the definite stand outs. Hemsworth especially shines, showing us that he can do more than play a quippy Norse god. This movie has so much to unpack both visually and in terms of foreshadowing that I cannot wait to see it again. If you're looking for a smart, stylish, and generally thrilling way to spend a few hours, look no further than Bad Times at the El Royale.

Bad Times at the El Royale fmovies. Bad Times at the El Royale is an incredibly captivating mystery / thriller, and completely subverts expectations within the first 10 minutes. With an all-star cast, the acting is solid from start to finish, and Lewis Pullman (Miles, the hotel manager) steals the spotlight even with Chris Hemsworth in the mix. The structure of the film feels fresh and simulating, with non-linear storytelling and scenes from multiple perspectives, though at times, the pacing does tend to drag at certain parts. The more energetic scenes are accompanied by an incredible soundtrack, with classics from the 60's; that create a warm and versed vibe. The topics of ultimatums and self reflection are presented, and exceptionally highlight by the cinematography. Several scenes have the character looking through a one-way mirror, presenting a shot with what the character sees and, in the reflection, his/her reaction. There are also parts with vivid color and or contrast paired with beautiful composition that forms a stylistic vintage look. One of the film's problems is leaving open plot threads to hang, one character is believed to be promising and crucial in the beginning of the film but slowly dwindles away all, and connection and potential is lost. Overall Bad Times at the El Royale does a phenomenal job at luring the audience into a story that is at points unpredictable.

This is a film where people expecting an action blockbuster will be disappointed at first, but will return to it later with a renewed appreciation. Writer/Director Drew Goddard channels Tarantino & DePalma to deliver an almost perfect crime mystery Thriller with a boldness to do its own thing and continuously subvert expectations with its twists and turns. Despite the slightest of pacing issues, the cast are all excellent amongst stylish production design & lush colourful cinematography. See. This. Film.

The film starts with a man moving all the items of a hotel room in one corner, he then removes the carpet n the floorboards, stashes a bag underneath n puts back all the things in place. After he has finished his mysterious work..... Fast forward ten years n destiny brings together a group of people who all end up at this same hotel on a dark rainy night due to different circumstances. Comparison to The Identity is present but please do not compare it to Tarantino style films jus cos it has a nonlinear approach. Fellas who r comparing the nonlinear film style to Tarantino's films ain't aware of Jean-Luc Godard, the pioneer of nonlinear filmmaking. Is it a coincidence that the surname of the director of this film too is Goddard. Drew Goddard is in full Jean-Luc Godard-esque mood. Attention is required as every person at the El Royale has a story n the background story of all the characters were properly interwined. Some of the scenes r way too slow n the editing needed some post production work. Jus few days back i saw Chronicles of the Ghostly tribe n i wrote in its review that the flashbacks were confusing n not at all gripping but in El Royale the flashbacks were intriguing n not at all confusing. The film is visually striking and offers a high level of ambience. It has lots of eerie mood, good suspense, a great sense of dread throughout. The background story of one of the character which is shown towards the end is a bit shocking n well placed. The owners of the hotel remained mystery but that is another story.....