The movie “Bad Times at The El Royale” was released on Friday, October 12 and has left audiences with nothing but chills. I am normally not a person who wants to go see a suspense or thriller, but “El Royale” is a unique entry in the genre. This film kept me on the edge of my seat. With twists and turns that were completely unexpected, this movie is unpredictable and entertaining throughout.
This film takes place in the 1960s and the decade is portrayed very accurately. From the set to the costumes and even down to the music, the time period is well-represented.
Seven strangers all meet for a night they would never forget, or not live to remember. The bell boy, Miles (Lewis Pullman), a singer, Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), a priest, Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a criminal, Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson), her young sister (Cailee Spaeny), a salesman, Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm) and a cult leader, Billy Lee (Chris Hemsworth). They each have a backstory and all have secrets which unfold in one fateful night at this rundown hotel.
The El Royale is a hotel on the border of California and Nevada, in which guests get to choose a room in the state. It is evident that something is not quite right with the hotel once Miles tells Father Daniel Flynn “This is not a place for a priest, Father. You shouldn’t be here.” This immediately lets the viewers know something strange is going to happen at the hotel, but what is going to happen is the ultimate question that lingers in the back of the mind.
Throughout the film, the audience is guided through each room that the guests are staying in. The secrets of each room are uncovered one by one. Each room that the viewers get to see is one of the rooms that the four main visitors of the hotel, Father Daniel, Cynthia, Emily and Laramie Seymour Sullivan, are staying in. Through these scenes, we get to know more and more about these characters and what they have to hide.
This movie was extremely well-made. From the actors to the costumes and the music, the film was all really well thought out. This film was really captivating and left the audience wanting more. Those with any interest in this genre of film or mysterious plot lines will be delighted by this spectacle.
