First Person Blood, Guts, Guns, and Demons!
Independent films are a dime a dozen, and while they usually reflect the inspiration of their creators, limitations such as budget or experience often hinder the concept from being fully realized. However, on a rare occasion, the talents of the people behind the camera, and their ingenuity, can overcome these obstacles to create a genuinely fun experience.
In steps Hotel Inferno; a brutal mess of a film that plays out more like a first person shooter video game than an actual cinematic experience. It's this unique style, and commitment to concept that allows Hotel Inferno to succeed. What has been tried in the past by other films in the action and horror genre has always felt like a gimmick, but in this series, it's creators have made it clear that this is more than just an aesthetic choice, this is their vessel for story telling.
Summary
With Hotel Inferno, director Giulio De Santi tells the story of assassin Frank Zimosa, who is hired by a mysterious group to knock off a few targets in a European Hotel. What seems like just another day in the field, quickly devolves into chaos, as he is caught in a HELLacious mouse trap meant to feed the dark desires of an ancient evil. Splattering and battering his way through the various halls of the hotel, Frank is faced with ever increasing levels of horror, as his enemies turn from humans, to the undead and finally, even the damned!
Poor Frank can't catch a break; following the events of the first film, we see that Frank is no longer amongst the living, but instead has awoken in Hell itself?! Presumed to be dead, Frank sets out to find an escape to recover his earthly body, hoping, that through the help of another tortured soul, they can navigate this realm of Hell, where cultists endure endless torment in exchange for forbidden knowledge. The Cathedral of pain is the canvas by which Frank will paint his bloody masterpiece, as he quests to find the 5 elements that compose the human soul...all before his physical form rots away.
Review
Hotel Inferno is the film made for those horror fans brave enough to step off the beaten path, and follow the blood drenched footprints of independent genre pioneers. Relying on the contributions of it's fans, Hotel Inferno is a crowd funded effort by it's creators and Necrostorm. It is a surprisingly adept film series with great (if not limited) set pieces, and interesting characters. The plot can be thin at times, and feel like it was only there as a framework to support all the gore, but at it's best, it hearkens back to the beloved days of splatterfest video games like Pain Killer, or DOOM. Abash with awesome creature designs, and some great practical effects, (along with the nastiest of sound work), it can be a little rough for the squeamish, and while Hotel Inferno may not be for everyone, it was probably never meant to be.
Score:
3/5
Be sure to drop by Necrostorm's website to see upcoming projects in the series, including the already in the works, "Hotel Inferno III: the Castle of Screams!
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