Hotel Mumbai (Review)
Hotel Mumbai Showcases the Best and Worst of Humanity.
Hotel Mumbai is a gut punch of a film. I can’t remember the last time I had such a visceral reaction in theaters, and I mean that in the best possible way. In a world where so many of us are becoming numb to the various acts of terror occurring almost every day (particularly in America), it’s a wonder that anything could evoke such a strong response, especially considering it’s based on true events. Hotel Mumbai is a beautifully crafted film that touches on such a wide range of emotions that I found myself exhausted by the end of it. However, it’s well worth the heavy price it takes.
Hotel Mumbai it about the 2008 terror attack that took place across Mumbai India. Specifically, the film follows the events that took place at the titular Hotel Mumbai, a 5-star resort that believes that “guests are god.” This dedication is what proves to be the emotioanl cornerstone of the film. Even as gun-toting terrorist attack looking for infidels to execute and ransom off, the staff puts their very lives on the line in order to protect their intended victims. Of course, the terrorists in this film aren’t exactly picky when it comes to who they kill and no one in the hotel is safe. Despite the risk though, the staff and guest come together in order to survive the harrowing events of that day.
First-time feature director Anthony Maras handles this incredible tale beautifully. It would have been easy to take an anti-Muslim approach to this film given the vile nature of the attacks that took place. Instead, he exposes the fact that these are men who come from incredible poverty and were easy pickin’s for the extremists who recruit and groom them to be terrorists. However, he never asks the audience to forgive them once throughout the film. Brainwashing aside, these are radicalized extremists committing mass murder and it’s hard not to hate every last one of them for their actions. This is probably because Maras crafts a story that shows so many people from all over the world and with such a wide variety of backgrounds being absolutely brutalized by these men. It’s these human elements that create such a stark contrast to the terror they face and create the empathy needed to make Hotel Mumbai such a success.
Hotel Mumbai is a precariously balanced film. Fair warning, it’s one filled to the brim with shocking and gory moments, especially as the terrorists in the hotel start to rack up the body count. However, the incredible cast manages to keep it from seeming like a gimmick to simply shock the audience into submission. Dev Patel, Armie Hammer, Jason Issac, and Nazanin Boniadi give emotionally charged performances as some of the victims in the hotel doing their best to survive the bloodshed. It’s hard not to immediately identify and sympathize with the characters in the film, given that they come from all walks of life. Sure, there are plenty of white characters, but none of them are saviors of any type. Hammer plays an American architect staying at the hotel with his Iranian wife (Boniadi) who are desperately trying to reunite with their newborn baby when the bullets start flying. However, they’re far from the heroes of this story. The cultural diversity present in this film simply goes to show how careful Hotel Mumbai is in showing that acts of terrorism like this can affect everyone, even the Muslims that these radicals claim to be fighting for.
As I mentioned before, it’s been a long time since a movie in theaters had such a profound impact on me. There are plenty of issues when it comes to Hotel Mumbai, but it is such a moving and powerful film that I consider it a rousing success. It’s truly a film that’s greater than the sum of its parts, which is impressive considering the talent featured throughout it. However, it’s hard to take all of the emotions it might stir up. I felt wave after wave of horror, sympathy, dread, anger, and so on. It’s not too often that movies can have such a profound impact on audiences and for that reason alone, I wholeheartedly recommend Hotel Mumbai. It’s not an easy journy to take, but it’s one that proves to be one I’m glad I took.
Let me be clear, Hotel Mumbai is not an easy movie to watch. It’s a film the showcases humanity at it’s best and at it’s worst. However, this duality in its storytelling is what makes it so effective. This is a movie that shows
