By Keith Walther
Billed as a thriller in the Australian outback, audiences may think they’re about to watch the next “Wolf Creek,” but what they get instead is a film that never finds the ignition switch. “The Royal Hotel,” based on the documentary from 2016 called “Hotel Coolgardie,” plods slower than a sloth crossing the street that makes an hour and a half feel like three hours. There are hints and promises of explosively scary moments throughout the film but fizzles into unfulfilled disappointment.
A couple of American backpackers exploring Australia realize they’ve run out of cash and need to find a job to continue their vacation. Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) secure bartender jobs at a remote hotel in an outback mining town. The owner/operator of this modest establishment is Billy (Hugo Weaving), a gruff local who tends to overindulge in his bar’s offerings.
As the two young ladies get accustomed to this simple and bleak environment, they quickly understand the bar’s regulars are all men who stop in nightly to spend their wages after working the nearby mine all day. Being the only single women in the area, the two women become the source of the miners’ attention, resulting in a disparaging display of sexual harassment and toxic masculinity. Dolly (Daniel Henshall) becomes increasingly aggressive, scaring Hanna into a scenario where she must decide between making the money or dragging her friend out of there to safety.
Australian born writer/director Kitty Green is a promising young filmmaker who falls victim to inexperienced mistakes that diminish the returns of entertainment value. Too much time is spent in the beginning of the film with inconsequential scenes that slow the pacing of the story to a crawl. All those scenes could have been replaced with a couple lines of dialogue as the main characters arrive in the remote mining town. Once they finally arrive at this destination, Kitty does a fine job of building tension, suspense, and impending danger, but then never turns the corner. It’s a big, missed opportunity as it could have captured the same kind of horrific nightmare that made “Wolf Creek” an adrenaline pumping thrill ride in 2005. Instead, Kitty leaves audiences dissatisfied with a climax that falls flat and uninteresting.
Julia Garner, who won multiple Emmy Awards for performances in the Netflix series “Ozark,” is a very talented actress who can play a variety of roles. She does a commendable job portraying the reluctant, protective friend who is suspicious of everyone and avoids showing vulnerability to strangers. She makes the audience palpably feel her misgivings of the situation, making them yearn for a positive outcome for her character. Look for Julia to next star in a horror/thriller film called “Apartment 7A,” slated for release later this year.
Garner’s co-star, Jessica Henwick, is a hard-working English actress who made a name for herself on popular TV series like “Game of Thrones” and “Iron Fist.” Like she’s done in her previous roles, she doesn’t necessarily excel to make her stand out, but Henwick delivers a solid performance as the risk-taking, more naïve party girl oblivious to the potential danger that surrounds her.
The supporting cast also does a fine job overall portraying their characters, with the unrecognizable Hugo Weaving standing above the rest. He provides insightful depth to his character as the belligerent, alcoholic bar owner who mismanages the money, neglecting to pay those who work for him. The memorable villain of “The Matrix” rides the line between protagonist and antagonist perfectly, treating the females who work for him with rude disrespect, but also being the only one keeping the local miners in line.
Like a sailboat that has lost its wind, “The Royal Hotel” drifts listless and uninspired towards a boring conclusion. While there are some dynamic performances that buoy a story taking on water, it is simply not enough to rescue the film from drowning in ambivalence. It’s a shame because the potential was there to create an exciting suspense thriller.
This movie earns:
