Bad Times at the El Royale: Movie Review
Writer/director Drew Goddard’s 2012 horror-comedy, “The Cabin in the Woods” was my number one favorite film of that year and to me is one of the best films of its’ genre in the past few decades. It has stuck with me over the past six years, watching it countless times. Needless-to-say, when his follow-up, “Bad Times at the El Royale” was announced, I was instantly excited. Even though I am a major horror fan, I was thrilled that he would be doing something quite different.
Set in 1969, a group of strangers check into an out-of-the-way hotel on the border of California and Nevada. The border goes right down the center of the establishment and the guests can choose which state they would like to stay in. It costs a dollar more to stay in California, but the slot machines are in Nevada. It is no surprise that the guests aren’t exactly who they claim to be and even though a few are predictable, Goddard delivers some awesome surprises. I love it when I can’t predict the outcome and there were enough twists here to keep me happy.
Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges) may look like a man of the cloth, however, looks can be deceiving. Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo) is a singer on her way to a gig in Reno. Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm) might be a vacuum cleaner sales man or he might be something else. Then there is Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson), who has brought more than just her baggage to the hotel. Finally, we have the nervous concierge, Miles Miller (Lewis Pullman) who clearly doesn’t love his job. Through a series of recent flashbacks, we get to see the events in each of the guest’s lives that led them to the El Royale. What unfolds in those flashbacks isn’t all that surprising, but a handful of the events that take place at the hotel are.
I want to be very careful about what I reveal in this review because the less you know going in, the more enjoyment you might have with the film. That doesn’t mean “Bad Times at the El Royale” isn’t flawed, because it is. The biggest issue here is the 140-minute run-time, which makes the film feel like a slog at times. I am not sure what I would have cut out of “El Royale”, but Chris Hemsworth’s ridiculous bad guy Billy Lee was by far the least interesting. Although his character plays an important role in the narrative, I wish Goddard chose to go in another direction.
A great element of “El Royal” is the hotel, which to me was a character of its’ own. The set design, from the lobby to the neon sign outside all looked fantastic. Goddard also does an amazing job at building tension. One of the film’s best sequences involves Darlene singing, while another character is digging through the floor, while another character is watching though a two-way mirror, holding a shot gun. I had absolutely no idea how this scene was going to play out, but it kept me on the edge of my seat. Erivo has an incredible voice, but she is also one hell-of-a fine actress. I am looking forward to seeing her in next month’s “Widows”. Bridges also gives another great performance. He is not a good person, but he is one we feel sympathetic towards.
“Bad Times at the El Royale” isn’t for everyone, but there is no denying its’ Tarantino influence. If you like your thrillers pulpy, your humor dark and your story bizarre, then you might want to check into the El Royale for a few hours.
By: Marc Ferman