Drew Pearce makes his directorial debut with a dystopian thriller film starring Jodie Foster
Drew Pearce has a quite impressive career as a screenwriter: he’s the man behind films like Iron Man 3, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and the upcoming Fast & Furious – Hobbs & Shaw.
Last year Pearce also made its directorial debut with Hotel Artemis, a dystopian thriller film, which is hitting Italian theaters next week, August 1, 2019. The cast includes Jodie Foster, Sterling K. Brown, Sofia Boutella, Jeff Goldblum, Zachary Quinto and Dave Bautista.
Set in 2028, the film shows a futuristic Los Angeles in the middle of a chaos: due to clean water’s privatization, the city is torn by riots. Professional criminals are trying to take advantage of the situation but not all of them can get away with it: Sherman fails a bank robbery that leaves his brother Lev and another accomplice critically hurt. There’s no place they can look for help except Hotel Artemis, a members-only hospital for criminals run by Mrs. Jean Thomas (a.k.a. ‘The Nurse’) and the healthcare professional Everest. There’s a strict set of rules in the hospital: no weapons, no cops, no non-members and no killing other guests. As safe as it may appear, Hotel Artemis will soon reveal its darker side.
Pearce’s first feature film is visually captivating and it can count on an intriguing screenplay: Hotel Artemis recalls Blade Runner’s sense of alienation and features fighting scenes inspired by John Wick. The film has also some psychological horror vibes that recall Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! even if here the atmosphere is less punk and more post-apocalyptic. Jodie Foster gives the best performance in the film as the alcoholic and agoraphobic nurse who runs the hospital: her portrait is heartfelt and powerful and she leads all the characters through the story.
Hotel Artemis is a promising debut which succeeds in creating suspense and action, but feels less satisfying in terms of overall execution. We’ll be patiently waiting for Drew Pearce to return behind the camera.
