Hotel Artemis

Dir: Drew Pearce

2018

**

Named after the Greek goddess Artemis, who was born in secret to protect her from the wrath of Hera, queen of the gods, Hotel Artemis is basically an extension of an idea recently seen in John Wick. Hotel Artemis is part refuge, part hospital acting like Switzerland to the criminal underworld. It comes with ten rules. 1. While on the premises, no fighting with or killing other patients. 2. No disrespectful words or actions allowed against Hotel Artemis staff. 3. No guns or any type of weapon permitted through the gates. 4. Membership must be paid for, full and in advance. 5. Prior but lapsed members will not be admitted 6. No photography or video allowed. 7. No outside food or drink. 8. Absolutely no visitors. 9. If member is found to have compromised, or led to compromise of location, membership will be revoked. 10. Hotel Artemis rules are final and non-negotiable. It is these rules on which the film was sold on, the first mistake of many. It boasts a great cast, including Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, Jeff Goldblum, Charlie Day, Brian Tyree Henry, Jenny Slate, Dave Bautista and Zachary Quinto but no one really shines apart from Jodie Foster and Charlie Day – and to be honest this is perhaps only because it is nice to see Foster back in film after five years and Day is doing what he does best (and always). None of the other actors are really given enough to work with and their talents are somewhat wasted. I would argue that it is an impressive debut from Drew Pearce as far as visuals are concerned but the narrative leaves a lot to be desired. It begins in a future Los Angeles, June 2028 to be exact, during riots that have broken out over the city's water privatization. Taking advantage of the chaos, professional criminal Sherman (Brown) attempts a bank robbery that leaves his brother Lev (Henry) and another accomplice critically wounded and a fourth member of the gang (played by Father John Misty!) dead. They escape to the nearby Hotel Artemis, a secretive hospital that only treats criminals, run by Jean "the Nurse" Thomas (Foster). Confined inside the Hotel for 22 years by her severe agoraphobia and grief over the death of her son, Thomas adheres to a strict set of rules, including "No weapons," "No non-members," and "No killing of other guests." Sherman and Lev are admitted while their accomplice is ejected by Thomas' assistant, Everest (Bautista). Lev, given the code name "Honolulu," undergoes the Hotel's technologically advanced treatment, including robot-assisted surgery and 3D printed transplant organs. Sherman encounters the Hotel's other guests: "Acapulco," (Day) an obnoxious arms dealer, and "Nice," (Boutella) an international assassin and old acquaintance. As the riot draws nearer, Thomas receives word that notorious mobster Orian "The Wolf King" (Goldblum) Franklin is en route. Thomas' preparations are complicated by the arrival of a wounded police officer named Morgan, a childhood friend of Thomas' late son, begging for help. Against Everest's warnings and Thomas' own rules, they admit Morgan. The Wolf King arrives, having survived an attempt on his life, and is admitted, leaving his men and son Crosby (Quinto) in the lobby. Everest sneaks Morgan out of the Hotel. Acapulco learns that Nice has been hired to kill the Wolf King; she incapacitates Acapulco and plants a bomb on the Hotel's generator. While administering to the Wolf King, Thomas discovers that he is responsible for her son's death; she prepares to kill him, but is diverted when Nice's bomb disrupts the power and Lev's life support. While Thomas struggles to save Lev, Nice kills the Wolf King. Lev dies and Sherman confronts Nice, but the two are attacked by Acapulco; Sherman is shot but manages to kill him. As rioters storm the streets outside, Thomas, Sherman, and Nice make their way out of the Hotel, while Everest stays behind to stave off the Wolf King's men; Nice follows suit, covering Thomas and Sherman's escape. The two are met by Crosby, but kill him and make their way through the riot to Sherman's getaway car. Thomas decides to stay, but tells Sherman of another hotel, the Apache in Las Vegas, before he drives off. Everest, the last man standing at the Artemis, turns on the Hotel's sign as Thomas walks back through the city. In a mid-credits scene, a shadowy figure runs across the screen, suggesting Nice may have survived. Could we see a sequel in Las Vegas? I really don’t think so, as I’m not sure who would be interested, it is an uninteresting film. It’s a rather anemic thriller and a pretty lethargic vision of a dystopian future. I found the film to be full of false promise and the ending was an anti-climax. It certainly looked good and was an easy film to watch but the chemistry between characters couldn’t make up for the lack of intrigue or indeed the lack of twist. I had no emotional investment with the characters, so my interest in what happened to them was limited. It’s a good looking neo-noir but it’s a case of style over content.