Post by PhantomKnight on Nov 1, 2018 9:49:06 GMT -5
Remember how, for a while after Pulp Fiction, there was a string of movies that came out that were essentially Tarantino wannabes? And yet the majority of them weren't nearly as good as that film? Well, Bad Times at the El Royale feels cut from the cloth of the former, but fortunately, it's also much better than the latter.
So, no, this isn't a horror movie like the marketing might have you believe. This is more of a Tarantino-style, character-driven thriller, and writer/director Drew Goddard makes it work. The two keys to pulling off a movie like this are an intriguing plot and compelling characters, and Bad Times at the El Royale has both. This is one of those movies that'll show one scene/event, and then go back and show a different character's point of view of that same scene. But Drew Goddard structures it all very well while developing his characters in interesting ways. As a result, he gets very strong performances out of his cast, especially Jeff Bridges, who's the best I've seen him be in years. Goddard also knows how to ratchet up the tension and mystery with each new scene, but I also like how he purposely leaves a few questions/details unanswered by the end of the film. The main purpose here is to draw you in more via the characters, though, than the plot (even though the plot is still really engaging on its own), and in that respect, this film definitely succeeds. But on top of all the strong character work, the plot has many twists and turns that keep things interesting. And I kind of already can't wait to watch it again. My only real complaint about it is that at 140 minutes, it feels a bit overlong and you especially start to feel the length toward the end.
But overall, Bad Times at the El Royale is a very good movie, sometimes even bordering on great if I dare say, and one of the better surprises of 2018.
***1/2 /****
