Hotel Artemis (2018) Review

"Visiting hours are never!"
-Everest



During the largest riot Los Angeles has ever seen, Waikiki (Sterling K. Brown) and his brother, Honolulu (Brian Tyree Henry), attempt a bank robbery, which goes south, leaving Honolulu seriously injured.  Waikiki takes him to the Hotel Artemis, a hospital for criminals, run by The Nurse (Jodie Foster) and her assistant, Everest (Dave Bautista).  Unfortunately, Honolulu did manage to seat $18 million in diamonds from the biggest crime boss in Los Angeles, The Wolf King (Jeff Goldblum), who also owns the Hotel Artemis, who is on his way there, along with his violent son, Crosby (Zachary Quinto).  With Honolulu unable to move due to his injuries, Waikiki has to find a way to survive the nights, with The Wolf King and the riots closing in, as well as dealing with the other patients, an assassin (Sofia Boutella) and an arms dealer (Charlie Day).


What Works:

If you've seen the John Wick movies, one of the most interesting parts ins the Continental Hotel, which is a hotel for criminals.  Hotel Artemis is pretty similar, except for it being a hospital.  But seeing a business that solely caters to criminals is pretty interesting and a fun world to explore.

The characters are all pretty typical of a hitman/criminal kind of movie.  It definitely reminds me of films like Smokin' Aces.  But what is really interesting is the film's protagonist, the Nurse.  She isn't a hitman or really a criminal at all.  She's a disgraced doctor who strives to help heal people.  She's a really interesting character in this world of scum and villainy.  I was very surprised to realize she was the protagonist, but I think it elevates the movie.

The performances all around are great, with Dave Bautista being the highlight.  But everybody brings something to the table and there are a lot of really funny moments from almost everyone.  


What Sucks:

The budget of this movie was very low and there are a few places you can tell.  I won't kill the movie too much though, because, for the most part, they did the best they could with what they had.  There are also a few lines of dialogue that I didn't love.

My only other major complaint is Buke's (Kenneth Choi) storyline.  Buke is a member of Waikiki's crew, who does not have a membership to the Hotel Artemis.  Even though he has been shot, he is not allowed in.  It's pretty hilarious watching Dave Bautista toss him out of the hotel, but we never see Buke.  His storyline just felt unresolved.


Verdict:

For a low budget movie in a genre that is rarely original, Hotel Artemis is a lot of fun.  Everyone gives great performances in an interesting setting.  And Jodie Foster's character makes for an unusual, but solid protagonist.  Not all of the dialogue worked, but for the most part Hotel Artemis has got it going on.

 7/10: Good   


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