Spoiler-Free Review of “Leave the World Behind” on Netflix: An Unnerving Thriller that Hooked me from the Start

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“The vacation from hell…”

Leave the World Behind released on Netflix on December 8th 2023. The apocalyptic thriller film stars Julia Roberts, Ethan Hawke, Mahershala Ali, Myha’la Herrold, and Kevin Bacon. It runs for approximately two hours and twenty minutes.

A family vacation in Long Island, New York is interrupted when two strangers show up at the house in the middle of the night claiming to be the owners. After explaining that there has been a blackout in the city, the threat begins to grow as both families must figure out how to survive.

Here is the trailer:

Leave the World Behind never allows you a moment to look away from the screen. The cast is out of this world and the feeling of dread that this film creates makes this an effective and relatable thriller. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Really draws you in!

I’m not usually a fan of apocalyptic movies, but I couldn’t stop watching this one. The cast was fantastic, which helped, but the plot was so puzzling and intriguing, which made a powerful mix. I had to know what was going on in the world and even though I was just as clueless as the characters, I somehow felt like I was a part of this, luring me in that much more.

Jaw-dropping scenes.

There will be no spoilers in this review, but so many scenes had me on the edge of my seat. They were eerie, shocking, and absolutely fantastic. This may be the best Netflix movie I have seen in a long time. It really did a great job from the music to the special effects. Everything fell into this place seamlessly, making this such a compelling watch.

Sticks the landing!

I absolutely LOVED the ending of this film. Sure, it didn’t answer most of my questions, but there was something so satisfying about it and there was an Easter egg in there that had me very excited! I think a lot of people will relate to it.

The Cons:

Unanswered questions…

This wasn’t a major con, but I had so many questions by the time I got to the end of this film. I didn’t read the book either, but from my understanding, that doesn’t fully answer everything either. I guess it makes sense with the content, but since we spent quite a bit of time on certain aspects of this film, I just wanted a touch more to truly understand what was going on.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

One of the best thrillers I have seen all year!

Tense, disturbing, and entertaining from start to finish. I never got a chance to breathe!

Even though this film was on the longer side, it never felt like it. I’d highly recommend giving this one a shot even if it doesn’t seem like your cup of tea. I loved it!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Leave the World Behind in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Sacrifice Game” on Shudder: Packed with Plenty of Welcomed Twists

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Christmas Killers strike again…”

The Sacrifice Game released on Shudder on December 8th 2023. The horror film stars Olivia Scott Welch, Mena Massoud, Chloe Levine, Madison Baines, and Georgia Acken. It runs for approximately an hour and forty minutes.

Set in the 1970’s, two boarding school students are stuck there for Christmas, but when a cult of vicious killers show up at their door looking to summon a demon, they must figure out a way to survive.

Here is the trailer:

The Sacrifice Game may seem like your average home invasion thriller at first glance, but it provides the audience with plenty of deadly twists and turns to keep us invested. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

The time period works to its advantage.

Similar to X, I thought that this film successfully channeled the 1970’s vibe it was going for. From the music, to the hair, to the clothes, it nailed it. A lot of films try to slap on a time period to make themselves stand out, but I thought that The Sacrifice Game truly embodied this era effortlessly. The muted lighting worked well too and I love how this film was shot.

Entertaining villains.

The opening scene of this film was jaw-dropping in a good way. It didn’t hold anything back and let loose with lots of blood and gore to reel horror fans in. As the film progressed, I found myself particularly drawn to the villains. They were actually a lot of fun and they lightened up some of the heavy content.

The actresses playing the two school girls did a great job with what they were given as well and showed off their range.

I also really liked that this film wasn’t afraid to break out of the standard home invasion genre and hit us with plenty of twists and turns, making this a much more unique watch. While not all of the reveals landed for me, I appreciated the effort here.

The Cons:

Loses its way in the middle…

This film featured a strong opening and ending, but the pacing suffered a lot in the middle of the film. This movie wasn’t long, but certain parts felt really dragged out for me and I think it could have benefited from being a touch shorter.

Some of the dialogue was also pretty dull and uninspiring, but the plot made up for that. This film was good, but it could have been truly exceptional if a few minor tweaks had been made.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

The Sacrifice Game successfully carves its way into the holiday horror genre, keeping us guessing until the very end.

While this film was far from perfect, I found it to be really entertaining and I hope to see Fear Street’s Olivia Scott Welch in more horror entries soon because she rocked this role and then some!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on The Sacrifice Game in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Silent Night” (2023) in Theaters: A Revenge Thriller that Has its Moments

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Kill them all…”

Silent Night released in theaters on December 1st 2023. The revenge thriller-action film (directed by John Woo) stars Joel Kinnaman, Kid Cudi, Harold Torres, and Catalina Sandino Moreno. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-four minutes.

On Christmas Eve, a man witnesses the tragic death of his son when a stray bullet from a local street gang takes everything from him. After recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he vows to take revenge on those responsible the following year.

Here is the trailer:

Silent Night features a strong lead performer accompanied by lots of blood-soaked action, but is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Joel Kinnaman gives it his all.

Without being able to talk, I was pleasantly surprised by how well he commanded the screen. I loved him in The Killing and was super excited to see him in this. His acting was on point and I honestly felt his pain and grief throughout the film. This is no easy task when you can’t express yourself verbally and yet he managed to really make me feel something, which says a lot.

Brutal and flashy violence.

If that’s what you came to see, it will deliver on that…but it takes a while to get there. That being said, I thought a lot of the fight scenes were well done and John Woo fans will have something to be excited about.

The Cons:

A revenge thriller I’ve seen before…

Sure, you can wrap a bow on it with a “no talking” gimmick, but the film doesn’t really stray far from your standard revenge thriller. I actually think the “no talking” aspect hindered it in a lot of ways and made this an exhausting watch at times.

It also took way too long to get to the heart of the film. Yes, the moments leading up to it added to the emotional motivation, but I felt like we were crossing off calendar dates for hours and I couldn’t take some of the silent stare downs much longer.

Luckily we got to plenty of satisfying action, but I wouldn’t say that this was anything that new or extraordinary…but it was still enjoyable enough for action fans. You just have to sit through a lot of boring fluff to get there.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Silent Night delivers in the action category, but its slow burn approach and insistence on staying true to its gimmick loses a little holiday magic.

Perhaps I set my expectations too high because I thought the trailer was brilliant, but this wasn’t the revenge action film I was really hoping for.

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Silent Night in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Thanksgiving” in Theaters: A Delicious, Blood-Soaked Delight!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“There will be no leftovers…”

Thanksgiving released in theaters on November 17th 2023. The slasher-horror film (directed by Eli Roth) stars Patrick Dempsey, Nell Verlaque, Addison Rae, Rick Hoffman, Milo Manheim, and Gina Gershon. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-six minutes.

A year after a horrific tragedy on Black Friday, a masked killer begins to pick off those responsible one by one, leading up to a deadly feast.

Here is the trailer:

Thanksgiving successfully channels 90’s slashers to breathe new life into the genre, supplying us with plenty of fantastic chase scenes and gory kills. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Channels 90’s slashers in the best way possible!

I absolutely loved this aspect of the movie. It recognized the perfection of this era and borrowed from it in a clever and satisfying way. So many moments reminded me of films like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, but it wasn’t overdone. Thanksgiving still managed to find its own identity in the process, hopefully carving the way for more slashers to come.

Gore galore!

OK, so first off…that opening scene was jaw-dropping! But the gore didn’t stop there. Each kill was inventive, entertaining, and filled to the brim with seat-squirming moments. If extreme gore isn’t for you, I’d stay clear, but for those of you who can’t get enough of it, there’s plenty to enjoy here.

The Cons:

Predictable here and there…

This didn’t take away from the entertaining moments, but perhaps a little too much was revealed in the trailers. That being said, I still loved every second of it. I guess I just wanted a few unpredictable twists thrown in for good measure…

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A clever, entertaining slasher that delivers and then some!

Slashers are DOMINATING cinema right now and I’m absolutely loving it. More please!

I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on Thanksgiving in the comments section!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “A Murder at the End of the World” on Hulu: Your Next Whodunnit Obsession Has Arrived!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I spent a lot of time around dead bodies…”

A Murder at the End of the World premiered on FX on Hulu on November 14th 2023 with its first two episodes. There will be seven episodes in total that will air weekly. The mystery limited series stars Emma Corrin, Clive Owen, Brit Marling, Harris Dickinson, and Alice Braga. Each episode runs for approximately 60-62 minutes.

A tech savvy amateur sleuth and true crime author, Darby Hart, gets invited to an exclusive retreat in a dazzling remote location by a billionaire, but things go horribly wrong for the invited guests when one of them ends up dead.

Here is the trailer:

A Murder at the End of the World is engrossing with a solid whodunnit mystery at its core. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Meet your new favorite amateur sleuth!

Darby reminds me of Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in a lot of ways. She’s a little offbeat and has some hacker skills, but she still has a sizzling charm to her that lights up the screen. We’re getting a lot of character layers right off the bat and I’m confident that she’ll continue to show off her sleuth skills as the episodes continue.

The rest of the cast is fun as well and it’s always great seeing Clive Owen.

A fantastic location with lots of potential!

I’m not sure that I would sign up for a remote retreat in the middle of nowhere, but the hotel the guests are staying at is absolutely breathtaking and filled with unique technological advances. This modernizes the whodunnit approach in a clever way.

So far I’m really enjoying the mystery involved in both the past and the present and I can’t wait to unlock more.

I really love the whodunnit genre because it allows viewers to become active participants. With this series, I already have plenty of suspects and theories, but I can’t wait to see what Darby discovers next.

The Cons:

The episodes are on the long side…

This isn’t a major con at all, but you need to be prepared to devote a lot of time to this one. This is one of those shows where a minor detail can come into play later so be prepared to pay attention. There’s some excess fluff to sift through, but it’s not disrupting the pacing at all for me just yet.

So am I in or out?

I’m in 100 percent!!!

A modern whodunnit mystery with a captivating lead and a spectacular setting!

This series is everything I hoped for so far and I’m excited to continue my watch. If you enjoy whodunnit mysteries, I highly recommend checking this one out.

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Curse” on Showtime: A Disconcerting Watch

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“We have a chance to make something really, really good…”

The Curse premiered on Showtime on November 12th 2023 with its premiere episode. There will be ten weekly episodes in total. The dramedy series stars Emma Stone, Nathan Fielder, and Benny Safdie. Each episode runs for approximately 60-62 minutes.

A newlywed couple begins to shoot a reality television series documenting their efforts to make housing more eco-conscious and affordable for the small community of Española. However, their efforts are complicated when a girl puts a curse on them, prompting their reality producer to exploit some of their flaws off camera, which puts a strain on their relationship.

Here is the trailer:

The Curse takes a stab at uncovering some of the problematic issues behind typical HGTV series, making this a unique and intriguing watch, but does it do enough to keep us coming back for more? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Emma Stone is mesmerizing on screen.

She’s so talented and terrific in everything, which helps this series quite a bit. There are already a lot of layers to unfold with her character and within her marriage. Her expressions and cheerful delivery are worth noting. She’s a force to be reckoned with and I’m curious to find out more about her character.

Odd and unique.

I really didn’t know much going into this series, which actually helped. There’s a lot going on and things are odd, bizarre, and all over the place, which could be a good or bad thing. So far the premiere episode held my attention enough, but I need to see where we go with all of this content.

The Cons:

Where’s the hook?

I don’t really know where we’re going with this series. I’m not even sure what kind of show it is and while there is interesting content going on, I’m just worried that this show can quickly fizzle out or lose steam as it continues. It was originally billed as a comedy, but it seems to be more of a dark drama. I’m all for giving it a shot for a few more episodes, but I’m not sure if there’s enough here for ten of them.

The episodes are also on the long side, which can drag things out even more.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

The Curse is unlike anything else on TV right now, which works in its favor, but I don’t really know what I’m signing myself up for just yet.

Either way, consider me intrigued!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “It’s a Wonderful Knife” in Theaters: A Delightful Holiday Horror Entry that Slays with Slasher Cheer

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“That night still haunts me…”

It’s a Wonderful Knife released in theaters on November 10th 2023. The slasher-horror film stars Jane Widdop, Jessica McLeod, Joel McHale, Katharine Isabelle, and Justin Long. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-seven minutes.

One year after saving her town from a psychotic killer on Christmas Eve, Winnie wishes that she was never born, bringing her into an alternate reality where the killer has returned and her family doesn’t remember who she is.

Here is the trailer:

It’s a Wonderful Knife is utterly charming with some inventive kills and a cast worth cheering for. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

This cast KILLED it!

OK, Justin Long can do no wrong for me and he was bonkers and brilliant in this one! I was super excited to see Katharine Isabelle and Joel McHale in this one too and thought they both did a great job.

Our main two leads had fantastic chemistry together, making the heartfelt moments of this film a lot more believable.

Solid balance of brutal kills and heartwarming moments.

This is a holiday film after all…

The kills delivered for the most part. I just wish there were more of them, but you’ll get some bloody moments to enjoy. I personally think the opening scene featured the best ones.

I really liked the development of characters and friendship here and appreciated the heartwarming moments, reminding me of films like Happy Death Day and Freaky while still channeling It’s a Wonderful Life in a clever way.

The Cons:

A few pacing issues and some odd choices with dialogue…

This film was on the shorter side, but I thought it needed a severe energy boost in the middle of it. There were some scenes between characters that could have been cut out and while I did find myself laughing out loud at some things (Katharine Isabelle mostly), some of the dialogue felt like it was used to over-explain things to the audience, which felt odd and forced.

As I mentioned earlier, I also wanted some more kills in this one since it is coded as a slasher…

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

It’s a Wonderful Knife is bloody charming with a few killer twists thrown in, making this a fun B-movie slasher that is worthy of your time.

I thoroughly enjoyed my watch and will be adding this one to my yearly holiday horror list for sure!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…

Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…

My young adult revenge thriller comes out November 30th 2023! I hope you enjoy!

Make it Through the Night is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Marsh King’s Daughter” in Theaters: Daisy Ridley is Worth the Watch

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“It’s time you finished the hunt…”

The Marsh King’s Daughter released in theaters on November 3rd 2023. The thriller-drama film (based on the novel of the same name) stars Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn, Garrett Hedlund, and Gil Birmingham. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-eight minutes.

A young mother’s happy new life is threatened when her dark past returns as her father is released from prison, targeting her daughter.

Here is the trailer:

The Marsh King’s Daughter features some gripping performances centered around an interesting story with layers and some powerful moments. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Stellar performances.

The force is strong with Daisy Ridley! She was absolutely mesmerizing on screen and did a really great job with this role. I believed her performance and then some. Ben Mendelsohn was terrific as well and the dynamic between the two of them worked really well on screen. I’m not sure that I would have liked this one as much without these two actors. They really elevated every scene to the max, making this an intriguing watch.

Solid start and a satisfying ending.

I was pulled into this film immediately. Usually I don’t always like films that skip from the past to the present, but this one had seamless transitions and I actually found the events in the past to be really interesting.

I really thought the ending was fantastic as well. The casting was superb in this one. I’d like to read the book now because I want to explore this world a little bit more and I’m sure it went into more detail there.

The Cons:

Slow-moving in the middle.

As much as I enjoyed the beginning and end of this film, the middle slowed down quite a bit. The pacing felt sluggish and things went on for a little bit too long. I also wanted some more edge and grit in this one. It had a lot of potential with a strong story and great performers, but I wanted a touch more darkness in this one to really make it come to life on the big screen.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!

Daisy Ridley shines in this powerful and consuming thriller.

This film wasn’t perfect, but it captivated my attention and had enough going for it to make this an entertaining watch overall. If you like crime thrillers, there’s enough here to enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Marsh King’s Daughter in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Five Nights at Freddy’s” on Peacock: Welcome Back to Horror, Matthew Lillard!

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“I have a job for you…”

Five Nights at Freddy’s released in theaters and on Peacock on October 27th 2023. Based on the popular video game, the horror film stars Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, and Matthew Lillard. The film runs for an hour and forty-nine minutes.

A security guard with a troubled past takes a job at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria, quickly learning that the performing animatronics may have a few dangerous tricks up their sleeves.

Here is the trailer:

Five Nights at Freddy’s has some fun moments for fans of the video game, but it ultimately takes itself too seriously instead of indulging in some needed camp. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All hail, Matthew Lillard!

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Matthew Lillard and that Stu Macher from Scream is one of my all-time favorite horror characters. I was thrilled to see him in this one and he was the main reason why I tuned in. He delivered his role perfectly. I hope he appears in some more horror films soon because he’s always a blast to watch.

Josh Hutcherson from The Hunger Games did a solid job as well with what he was given and I truly believed the bond between his character and his little sister, which helped me invest in this film a little bit more.

Impressive design on the animatronics.

I was worried that they would seem outrageous and really silly, but I was personally impressed by the animatronics coming to life on screen.

I also thought that this film was a nice step up from kids horror. Pre-teens will probably love certain parts of this film and I think that it’s a fun introduction to the horror genre. I’d recommend kids under twelve watching it with supervision, however.

The Cons:

Too much set-up…

I could have personally done without the repetitive flashbacks and dragged out set-up in the beginning. This film wasn’t scary at all and it tried to be like too many other films. It would have benefited from some campy, ridiculous fun, which would have been pure B movie magic gold, but this route was very forgettable.

Willy’s Wonderland did a much better job of this…

The pacing was also really sluggish at times and the dialogue was uninspiring. I’d say that wouldn’t really matter if we had some inventive kills in the mix or some dry humor, but everything was really watered down.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

Five Nights at Freddy’s takes a safe and mostly bland route instead of just having fun with this material. There were some entertaining moments sprinkled into the mix, but I’m not sure that I would watch this again.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Five Nights at Freddy’s in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “The Royal Hotel” on Demand: A Vacation Gone Wrong

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You’re here on vacation?”

The Royal Hotel released in limited theaters on October 6th 2023 and is currently available to stream on demand as of October 23rd 2023. The thriller-drama film stars Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick, Hugo Weaving, Toby Wallace, James Frecheville, and Daniel Henshall. It runs for approximately 90 minutes.

Hanna and Liv are having the time of their lives vacationing in Australia, but when they wind up short on cash, they agree to take a temporary job bartending in a remote Outback mining town that puts them in danger.

Here is the trailer:

The Royal Hotel features two gripping performances in a chilling setting, but does all the buildup lead to anything worthwhile? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Two worthy leads.

The best part of this film was the two strong performances by Julia Garner and Jessica Henwick. They were both very believable and portrayed some heavy stuff in tense situations. I wish they were given a little bit more content to work with here, but I enjoyed their performances and they elevated this film in a lot of ways.

A setting and premise with loads of potential.

When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was so beyond excited to watch it. It screamed vibes of Wolf Creek and Brokedown Palace. We had a really good set-up and some intense moments built in, but the end result wasn’t what I was expecting…

The Cons:

Not sure why this was billed as a thriller?

Sure, there were some intense moments here and there, but I was super frustrated with this film because it felt like we were building up to an insane climax and then the end result was lukewarm at best. It just never really went anywhere…

This really should have been billed as a drama instead. I think that it will disappoint an audience looking for an actual thriller. The drama wasn’t bad, but setting up that expectation made this a confusing watch for me.

Lacked necessary character layers.

I didn’t need that many, but some would have been nice, especially since our two leads are incredibly talented and basically carried this movie. I needed to know more about why they were in Australia in the first place and maybe some crucial moments between them in their past could have explained some of the tension building throughout the film.

So am I in or out?

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I think that people will either love or hate this film. I’m somewhere in the middle of that. It wasn’t bad by any means and I actually thoroughly enjoyed the performances by our two main leads, but I wanted SO MUCH MORE!

Julia Garner needed to unleash her inner Ruth Langmore from Ozark to give this movie some serious edge.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Royal Hotel in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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