expect to see choice moments of gratuitous gore and jarring violence particularly when you least expect it.
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Riots rocking up Los Angeles in 2028 hardly seems like a futuristic premise for the country that’s already seen plenty of violence in its storied past and present. But add some fancy gizmos to the mix and that’s the world we’re thrown into. World might be an overstatement considering most of the film is set in one place. A place that happens to also be the title of this film: Hotel Artemis.
The ‘hotel’ is a thirteen-storey hospital that has an exclusive and loyal clientele of criminals who even pay for their membership. Run by The Nurse (a world-weary Jodie Foster), who this film essentially anchors on, the story takes us on a fateful night that spirals from order to mayhem faster than you can say ‘John Wick’. But while taking cues from the neo-noir aesthetic, a balls-to-the-walls action film this is not. In its place, expect to see choice moments of gratuitous gore and jarring violence particularly when you least expect it.
For the intended target audience of films like these, why should anyone be complaining? Because Hotel Artemis doesn’t know if it’s trying to be an action exploitation film or a dated French thriller that includes existential pontifications. Perhaps as a result, it does neither too well.
Chock full of clichés (i.e. suave bearded baddie, female French assassin, wayward brother, big friendly giant protector, McGuffin involving diamonds, flashback involving kids along beaches, etc.) isn’t especially a good way to go if the action isn’t good enough to make up for it. (The film you’re looking for is called Shoot ‘Em Up.) However, this indie-esque outing into a dystopia offers up Jeff Goldblum as tribute instead. Not entirely a bad idea if you forget how underutilized he was in the movie.
To bolster the list, there’s an interesting selection of cast members who play the banged up guests you’ll best look forward to discovering in cinemas. But if you’re looking on big set pieces and gripping entertainment, you’re in for an anti-climax at the Artemis. This hotel is a bit too comfortable for seasoned viewers.
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