Bad Times at the El Royale (2018)

To me, this feels like a sequel to Identity.

The buzz on Twitter about the movie is mostly positive
And honestly, the cast is doing everything they can during interviews to keep the plot under wraps... total radio silence on the story details
It hits theaters here in the USA this weekend

The director and writer behind The Cabin in the Woods—along with the writer for Cloverfield and an executive producer from the first season of Daredevil—have delivered a real gem. 🔝

I really thought I was in for one of those rare, pleasant surprises this year; the whole thing looked incredibly intriguing, and I’ll admit I was actually pretty hyped to see it
but then the movie actually started...
Look, I don't mind a slow burn or a more deliberate pace as long as the story actually makes sense. The opening act even felt promising, dropping enough hints of mystery to get me hooked, but once those first 30 minutes passed and the plot really started to settle in, everything just went downhill fast.
The storyline is basically nonexistent—it honestly feels like something straight out of a theater of the absurd. The connections between the characters are loose, to put it mildly, and their motivations are just baffling; there wasn't a single moment that could actually hold my attention.
The pacing is absolutely brutal. A 2h 20m runtime felt like a grueling 5h 20m slog because the scenes are so overextended and the conflicts feel like tired clichés; it’s just bloated without ever giving the audience a reason to care.
It's cluttered with these clunky, awkward flashbacks, and most of the dialogue feels like it was ripped from some middle school play.
If I have to find any silver linings, the cinematography is genuinely stunning, the historical setting is captured beautifully, and Jon Hamm gives a solid performance, but the rest of the cast is mostly forgettable (especially Hemsworth).
You can tell how much it missed the mark by the fact that people were literally walking out of the theater after only an hour, even though they had already shelled out $13 for their tickets; the crowd wasn't huge to begin with, though I'll just chalk that up to the local football game going on at the same time.
This is hands down my biggest disappointment of the year. It’s an exhausting watch that fails to justify a single second of my time or a cent of my money.

It immediately gives me those vibes from The Shining.
I’m guessing Jeff Bridges plays some vacuum salesman in this one.
By the way, I haven't actually seen it yet—but man, that poster is just too damn similar.

He definitely caught my eye, and while I felt like it could have been shaved down by maybe fifteen minutes, he stayed behind the wheel beautifully the whole way through.
It’s a solid flick, and it’s pretty obvious the director is a massive Quentin Tarantino fan. If you enjoyed The Hateful Eight, you’ll probably have a blast with this one too, even if it doesn't quite hit that same legendary peak.
The whole cast was decent enough for me. Dakota was probably the least convincing of the bunch, but honestly, it’s always a treat to see her on screen.

7/10.

In an ocean of generic CGI blockbusters that seem to take over everything lately, this might just be my movie of the year.

The soundtrack? Absolutely spot on. And honestly, the cinematography is just as incredible as the music.
The entire cast delivers a really solid performance, but I have to say, that little hotel clerk totally caught me off guard—his character was actually what resonated with me most, especially since the film moves away from that vibe.

This isn't really a "big screen" spectacle; it’s more of a perfect watch for a quiet night at home.
There were moments where I thought, "Okay, this scene is dragging on way too long," but then right when it felt heavy, the film would snap you back and make you realize every single second actually served a purpose.

If you're used to that fast-paced, Marvel-style momentum, this probably isn't your cup of tea—at least not if you're looking for a theater experience.

9/10 🍿

I can't wait for northerncrane4 to use his usual acrobatics to try and explain why this movie is actually a masterpiece. 😁

Hands down one of the best movies this year. In a sea of endless superhero flicks and fantasy tropes, this was such a breath of fresh air—and don't even get me started on the soundtrack 😍

The 135-minute runtime absolutely flew by for us. There isn't a single slow moment; in fact,
the movie just keeps picking up steam as it goes. The characters are great, too. Some of them really win you over, and none of them feel like flat caricatures. Honestly, almost everyone stays right on that edge between good and bad—kind of like how the Hilton itself feels like it’s teetering on the brink. Will they cross over? Who knows? Everyone has their own journey, so I'm sure you'll find a favorite among the cast. I definitely recommend 🍿

Joshua Smith5 said:I can't wait for northerncrane4 to use his usual stunts to explain why this movie is actually a masterpiece. 😁

Not happening, unfortunately. I actually thought after the first two acts there wasn't much left to explain—it just felt solid—but then that horrific third act hits and everything goes off the rails. I blame this whole American polarization issue; it turns even decent people into ideological zealots—to hell with John F. Kennedy and Donald Trump and all that "forgiveness" nonsense. If this had been made in a more stable era, it probably would have been an excellent thriller, but as it stands? It's a dud.

I think the movie was great.
I can't really remember the last time almost every single person in a cast delivered such a killer performance (well, except for Dakota, who was basically just there for eye candy).
If I actually have to pick favorites, though, the receptionist and Jeff Bridges absolutely crushed it.
Chris Hemsworth had the most intense intro 😁, but I guess his acting kind of watered down as the plot went on.
Honestly, I’m pleasantly surprised; I was fully expecting a total snooze fest.
8/10

northerncrane4 said:Unfortunately, none of that holds water. I actually walked away from the first two acts thinking there was nothing left to explain because it was simply well-executed, but then that horrendous third act happens and everything just falls apart. I blame this pervasive American polarization, which manages to turn even the most rational people into ideological zealots—to hell with John F. Kennedy, Donald Trump, and all this modern obsession with forgiveness and political posturing. Had this been produced in more stable times, it likely would have been an exceptional character thriller, but as it stands, it’s just a dud.

Until I see the numbers, I can only view this as your unshakeable desire to derail the discussion. Besides, you probably only enjoyed The Cabin in the Woods because of its supposed social commentary and such, yet suddenly, this isn't good enough?

frozenskipper12 said:Until I actually see the math, I’m just gonna assume you’re on a mission to derail this thread. Honestly, you probably loved The Cabin in the Woods because of all those deep social commentaries or whatever... now suddenly it’s no good.

He was still obsessed with Cloverfield back then. I haven't even seen this one. I think I'll just use my free passes for Farhadija instead...

frozenskipper12 said:Until I see the actual math, I’m viewing this as just your endless drive to derail the thread. Besides—you probably liked The Cabin in the Woods for its "deep social commentary" or whatever—so now suddenly it's no good?

It’s because nothing here is hidden—it isn't subtle at all. It’s all just in your face. Honestly, even that wouldn't be such an issue if the third act actually worked—but once Chris Hemsworth shows up, everything falls apart. It becomes tedious, arbitrary, and frankly, I couldn't care less about any of it.

Your claim that I have some "unrelenting desire" to ruin the topic is quite the projection.

An absolutely stellar piece of cinema.

I found it quite decent, I suppose. It might appeal to anyone who enjoyed Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight, given how many parallels there seem to be. It follows a group of characters who, through a series of unfortunate events, find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere, where everyone seems to be hiding something behind a false persona. There is this lingering sense that everything is just waiting to end in tragedy.
The acting is solid enough, and the film possesses a certain visual charm and atmosphere; the tension does build steadily toward the end, which I found to be a plus. If I had to point out a flaw, it would probably be the introductory segment, which feels somewhat overlong and sluggish as it attempts to establish the characters' motives and secrets. While things eventually start to click into place, more impatient viewers might find themselves feeling a bit restless. Personally, I managed to stick with it, and I am glad I did, because the second half is significantly more gripping and fast-paced than the first, making the experience rather rewarding in the end.

The movie looks like it’s totally in the style of Quentin Tarantino.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. There wasn't a single moment where it felt tedious or lost my attention...