In the crowded landscape of the summer box office, a strong or (at the very least) famous cast goes a long way. The actors attached to a project often provide some insight to the quality of the final product and represent an investment of creative capital. From the studio’s perspective, it could be the difference of tens of millions of dollars in some cases. Just look at what recently happened with Solo. That film may be able to recoup some of its production budget via merchandise and home video/on-demand sales, but the box offices numbers were off target by hundreds of millions. There are plenty of other films where the script attracts the cast and monetary success isn’t the primary concern. Hotel Artemis struck me as one of those films as soon as it came on my radar.
Set in the not too distant future, a dystopian Los Angeles breaks out in riots when a corporation that has privatized water rights decides to withhold access. It’s an interesting premise, but it serves only as a backdrop to the intermingling stories of a handful high-end of criminals. Production designer Ramsey Avery had very cool vision of the future where the tech is very advanced but it comes into play naturally and doesn’t seem too far outside the box of possibilities. The Hotel itself was very much crafted in old school Hollywood style and Rosemary Brandenburg’s design sets the aesthetic tone of the film very well. There is an undeniable style and swag to the film which gives it bonus points.
Writer and first time director Drew Pearce set and interesting stage but the screenplay never comes full circle to the larger world in which the story takes place. Conceptually there’s a good foundation to tell multiple stories in this environment. However, the 94-minute runtime pushes the pace a little too quickly. It almost felt like it was over before it began, but maybe I’m just greedy. The plot is engaging enough and each of the characters have personal journeys, which overlap and intertwine but some larger connective tissue between setting and story was absent. The dialogue ranges wildly from great to cliche, depending on who’s speaking, but the stellar cast worked really well together and pulled it off.
Believe it or not, this was Jodie Foster’s first film in five years. The last time we saw her on the big screen she was playing the pantsuit wearing antagonist in Elysium, so this was kind of a big deal for her. The two-time Oscar winner hadn’t exactly stayed busy over those five years, but it’s clear she hasn’t lost anything. Her character, the Nurse, had the most emotional journey and the most flushed out background which certainly helped. While there are a bunch of individual plot lines flying around, her story is weaved into the fabric of them all. As a maternal figure of sorts, she has a lot on the line even though she may not be the one in need of medical attention. At moments, she was exceptional in this film and it was a bit surprising. Not because I doubted her ability, I just didn’t think this type of movie would allow her to reach certain emotional depths. That success is a testament to the strongest script elements but more so to her individual skill as a performer.
Anything that Foster didn’t bring, Sterling K. Brown filled in the gaps. His consummate professionalism is always on display and he still manages to be incredibly likeable even though he’s playing a career criminal. Waikiki is the codename given to him as a guest of the hotel, but he gives you everything you’ve come to expect from his role on This Is Us. Even as a crook who doesn’t carry a very high opinion of himself, he still tries to do the right thing even as the walls are closing in on him. His ridiculously calm demeanor and measured delivery boom with intensity set against the other flamboyant guests at the Artemis. The whole movie could have been his and he’d have done great in that scenario. He’s just got a certain quality that isn’t easy to find or replicate, so I imagine he’ll be working quite a lot down the line.
The rest of the primary cast consists of Dave Bautista, Charlie Day and Sofia Boutella. For some odd reason, both Bautista and Day have bizarre subtle accents. I’m not sure if it’s something Pearce suggested to them, or something they decided to come up with on their own, but it’s weird and distracting early. Anyone who is remotely familiar with either of them will notice it, even though it’s subtle, simply because it’s unnecessary. Aside from that they are both enjoyable to watch, Bautista the orderly/bodyguard Everest and Day the smarmy and loathsome arms dealer Acapulco. Both characters are written with comedic punchlines in mind and they both have the knowhow and timing to pull it off. Boutella plays Nice, an assassin for hire planning a hit inside the Artemis. She’s a killer with a heart of gold and her familiarity with Brown felt natural if not completely familiar. She winds up having significant impact on the plot after it seemed like she was only there to engage in the aggressive deflation of Acapulco’s advances. The always wonderful Jeff Goldblum has a smaller role along with Zachary Quinto, but I won’t get into who they are or why they are there.
It seems like I can’t go more than a month or so without talking about Cliff Martinez and the great music he’s making. I don’t know if he’s underrated anymore, but he deserves to be in the conversation with the best composers in the industry. Films that take place in the future have the unique burden of crafting their identities from scratch and music is a big part of that puzzle. His compositions are excellent for scene setting, providing plenty of tension and emotional cues at just the right time. Music Supervisor Brian McNelis also played a large role in picking songs to complement Martinez’s framework, although they don’t appear on the original motion picture soundtrack. Surprisingly, the one song that does is a new one by Father John Misty titled Gilded Cage, who also has a small cameo at the beginning of the film. Pearce had directed a music video for him and the pair apparently hit it off which led to this collaboration. I’ll be seeing him at the Hollywood Bowl on the weekend of the 24th and hopefully I’ll get to hear it live.
While Hotel Artemis hasn’t exactly killed at the box office over the past two weeks (only $6-million), I’d still consider it a success…especially for a first time director. It’s heavily stylized and has a certain flair that you won’t see everyday. It strikes me as the kind of movie that will be a cult hit once it’s more readily available. Oddly enough, the idea seems more at home on television where the Artemis could be at the center of numerous stories and we could learn more about the surrounding environment. A sequel is unlikely, but the conceptual property has value I’d like to see explored further.
Recommendation: If you’re anything like me and grew up in the 80s and 90s where rated-R action movies were an everyday thing, you’ll feel right at home. It’s better than you’d expect and more interesting than you would anticipate. Go see it while it’s still in theaters, although checking it out from the comfort of your own coach is probably a good way to enjoy it too.