Hotel Artemis

Hotel Artemis

Starring Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, Jeff Goldblum

Directed by Drew Pearce

The Story:
In Los Angeles in 2028, riots are at an all-time high due to a corporation's desire to privatize the water supply, and the battle is reaching the doors of the Hotel Artemis - a hospital and hotel for the criminals run by the mysterious and agoraphobic Nurse (Jodie Foster).  She gladly welcomes any criminals who are paying members as long as they keep the rules - no killing other patients, no guns, no insulting the staff and the like.  The Nurse runs the place with Everest (Davev Bautista), who serves as the muscle against unruly patrons.

When bank robbing brothers Waikiki (Sterling K. Brown) and Honolulu (Brian Tyree Henry) seek refuge after a botched robbery, they're taken in along with longer staying patients Nice (Sofia Boutella) - a no-holds-barred assassin - and Acapulco (Charlie Day) - a misogynistic, egotistical arms dealer.  Events only go from bad to worse as a cop (Jenny Slate) arrives, who knows more about the Nurse than she wants people to know, along with the sudden arrival of the Wolf King (Jeff Goldblum) - the kingpin of Los Angeles and also the owner of the Artemis.  What started out as a normal Wednesday soon becomes a life-and-death struggle for the Nurse and everyone within the Artemis.

The Synopsis:
"John Wick" was a surprisingly amazing revelation from Keanu Reeves, a film that was equal parts action, drama, and non-stop thrills.  One of the aspects of the film that made it all the more intriguing was the concept of the Continental - a hotel for criminals to stay in, as long as they abide by the rule of no killing on the premises, even if their target was also there.  When I first saw the trailer for "Hotel Artemis," I thought it was an origin story of the Continental, because it had some defining parallels - a place of refuge for criminals, a long set of rules - but in reality the film is its own entity, even if it could've been included in a "John Wick" universe.

First-time director Drew Pearce (who also wrote the script) was able to blend the worlds of the past, present, and future in a way that is visually appealing and powerful, turning the hotel itself into its main character, serving as more than just a place of refuge but also a place of strangely calming peace for its owner.  While riots rage outside, the Nurse is confident that the Artemis will stand - until the true dangers from within threaten to rip it apart from the inside.

The film opens with a title card that indicates it's 2028, and there's a few moments of the film where you actually believe it's in the not-too-distant future: the use of 3D printing for medical purposes, the semi-futuristic guns, and nearly fully automated hospital equipment all point to a future where technology is still improving and gaining traction, while the humanity around it begins to deteriorate.  Water is now a rare commodity, and a corporation has found a way to privatize it - meaning of course the rich get the precious liquid, while the poor die of dehydration, resulting in riots of epic proportions.  While a big deal is made about this event, it merely serves as a way to keep those in the Artemis inside, and offers little more to the story than that.

Soon we're introduced to the motley crew of characters that we will be spending our time with, and it's a very impressive cast to say the least - and they're wholly necessary, because without them, the film would've easily delved into tiresome B-rated material you'd find in a five dollar bin at Wal-Mart.  It's the pedigree of the cast that adds a certain depth that the film would've missed otherwise, even if we're not treated to as much information about them as we would like.

In her first film in five years, Jodie Foster again proves her acting prowess as the Nurse, the overseer of the Artemis and of course its only doctor.  She struggles with agoraphobia, and speaks with a no-nonsense manner that's insanely darkly humorous, and oddly insightful.  Of course, as with most films of this narrative, she has a hidden past that slowly unravels for herself and the audience throughout the film, and Foster carries the weight of the movie on her shoulders admirably.

Sterling K. Brown plays a bank robber with a high moral code, who only wants to do right by his younger brother and always exists to do stuff for others.  Sofia Boutella doesn't really tread new ground as the assassin for hire that she's pretty much known for in other films, and as usual she delivers a scene-stealing performance.  Likewise, Charlie Day plays an egotistical, self-centered guy who's one spark away from insanity, while Dave Bautista merely exists to be the muscle (and offer some off-the-cuff humor you'd expect from Drax the Destroyer).  Jenny Slate (best known for voice-over performances) takes a darker role as an injured cop with a surprising connection to the Nurse, while Zachary Quinto plays the ultimate daddy's boy.  Finally there's the ever-illustrious Jeff Goldblum, who's relegated to a cameo here as the crime kingpin of Los Angeles.  As always, he hams up his performance in a lovable manner, giving quippy monologues, and is a pure delight as always.

The story itself is rather thin, as we're given a lot of characters and only ninety minutes to deal with them all, with the Nurse receiving the most backstory.  Everyone else is very superficially written, but the film isn't about stellar performances - it's about the bloody violence.  And here "Hotel Artemis" truly shines, as we see the most depraved humans doing terrible things to other humans, yet we still find ourselves rooting for them in the end.  There's a few scenes in the film that in all actuality didn't need to be there, and subplots that could've held an entire film on their own but fall flat here, but the film isn't about that either.  Oddly enough, the film didn't center on any huge event - it was, even in the repetitive words of the Nurse - "just another Wednesday at the Hotel Artemis."

What's the most beautiful thing about "Hotel Artemis" is the hotel itself - a callback to classic cinema with a building that's as terrifying as it is mysterious, as elegant as it is decrepit.  There's life sized murals of beautiful tropical locales, with dimly lit corridors and secret passages to rickety elevators.  It's a vendible maze of mystery and allure that captures our attention and adds fuel to the mysterious fires around it.

The Summary:
Although it doesn't offer much in the way of story, "Hotel Artemis" is heightened by its stellar cast, outstanding locale, and budding action mystery that makes for a thrilling action-packed ride from start to finish.

The Score: A