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Bad Times at the El Royale
2018 141 min United States of America, Canada R 18+
★7.0
Thriller, Mystery, Crime
Director: Drew Goddard
Trailers
EN
Teaser
Description
Lake Tahoe, 1969. Seven strangers, each one with a secret to bury, meet at El Royale, a decadent motel with a dark past. In the course of a fateful night, everyone will have one last shot at redemption.
Budget:
$32M
US Gross:
$17.84M
Worldwide:
$31.88M
Starring
Jeff Bridges
Actor
Cynthia Erivo
Actor
Dakota Johnson
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Thriller
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Actor
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Supporting Actor
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Screenplay
Saturn Awards 2019
— Best Supporting Actress
Key opinion
Bad Times at the El Royale is a visually striking and musically rich period thriller that leans heavily into a Tarantino-esque aesthetic. While many viewers praise its atmosphere and strong ensemble performances, opinions are split on whether its lengthy runtime and fragmented narrative are engaging or self-indulgent.
| Production | The 1960s-inspired soundtrack and period-accurate production design create an immersive, unified aesthetic. | |
| Acting | Cynthia Erivo and Lewis Pullman deliver standout, highly praised performances that anchor the ensemble. | |
| Originality | The film utilizes non-linear, fragmented storytelling that some viewers find gripping, while others view it as a derivative imitation of Tarantino’s style. | |
| Runtime | The nearly two-and-a-half-hour runtime rewards patient viewers with character depth, but is criticized by others as being unnecessarily sluggish and drawn out. | |
| Ending | The plot features a strong, atmospheric setup, but the climax and resolution often fail to satisfy, feeling either ordinary or disjointed. | |
| Acting | Opinions on Chris Hemsworth’s performance are sharply divided, ranging from an intense highlight to a significant, miscast detriment to the film. |