Bad Times at the El Royale (2018) ****1/2

Let's face it. It's been a while since Tarantino was Tarantino. Sure, “The Hateful Eight” wasn't bad, but it felt like it dragged on a bit long, and I honestly haven't felt any drive to re-watch it the way I have re-watched, multiple times, his early films like “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction.” The good news is, there's a new guy in town who can write and direct genre fiction with the kind of fresh, original energy that made Quentin Tarantino famous. Writer/director Drew Goddard is known for creating “The Cabin in the Woods,” and he also wrote the excellent found-footage monster movie "Cloverfield" and adapted the screenplay for  "The Martian."  These projects have given him the kind of Hollywood cred necessary to assemble a stellar cast for “Bad Times at the El Royale.”

This noir potboiler features a singer (Cynthia Erivo), a priest (Jeff Bridges), a vacuum salesman (Jon Hamm), and a hippie (Dakota Johnson) who converge at a faded California/Nevada border hotel one stormy, fateful night. They all have secrets, of course, as does the desk clerk (Lewis Pullman). It turns out the hotel has a secret corridor behind all the rooms that gives access to one-way mirrors and hidden microphones. From the corridor, the clerk films people's various private activities, and on this night, there is plenty of private stuff going on. As each pursues his own agenda, the storm builds, and so does the pressure.

Some have complained about the run-time of this film, and at 2 hours 21 minutes it does run a bit long. It's still shorter than “Pulp Fiction,” though, and like that movie, there is plenty to keep you on the edge of your seat. Even with some scenes going on for quite a while, the performances are so compelling and the story so good that I never got bored. Any one of these actors could carry a film on their own, and together they are dynamite. Cynthia Erivo, in particular, is a revelation, particularly when she coolly puts a murderous cult leader (Chris Hemsworth) in his place.

When you stay at the El Royale, you have to choose whether to stay on the California side or the Nevada side, but if you love a good, Hitchcockian, neo-noir potboiler, your choice is easy. Rent it, or catch it on HBOGo, but definitely check out “Bad Times at the El Royale.”

4.5 stars out of 5