Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
Cast: Dev Patel, Amandeep Singh, Subhail Nayyar, Manoj Mehra, Dinesh Kumar, Amriptal Singh, Kapil Kumar Netra, Adithi Kalkuote, Alex Pinder, Vipin Sharma, Nazanin Boniadi, Armie Hammer, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Anupam Kher, Jason Issacs, Gaurav Paswala, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Angus McLaren, Naina Sareen, Sachin Joab, Chantel Contouri, Vitthal Kale, Nagesh Bhonsle, Carmen Duncan, Pawan Singh.
There is a train of thought that exists that if you create art that reflects on a terror incident, on hate, then you shouldn’t be surprised if someone is inspired to take it upon themselves to follow the example of others. It is the same for all forms of art in the modern day, write a novel where someone is murdered, then you could be seen as progressing, advocating such crimes in the future.
However, without art we cannot learn a semblance of truth when it comes to the deranged deeds of those who seek to use terror as a way to subject others to their will, to their belief. There is a fine line between gruesome objectivity and sentimental heroism, it is a line that must be carefully and softly tread and whilst other films go too far in their appraisal of such acts of terror, the direction that is employed and the scenes captured in Hotel Mumbai strikes the right balance between both states of the argument.
Where the film shocks with its religious violence, it also inspires with its faith, the dichotomy that exists between peace and war in humanity can always be traced to the persuasion that is pushed on to the impressionable; promise someone eternal life in Heaven and they will do anything they can to avoid damnation in Hell.
Based upon the real life attacks in 2008 on one of the world’s busiest and exclusive hotels, Hotel Mumbai is a film that seeks and supplies the thought of dignity and heroism when confronted by someone who wants to kill you based upon the rhetoric of someone’s hate, distrust and fear. It asks the question of what would you do in such a circumstance, would you run, would you hide, and in one of the more telling scenes that the film lingers on, where two female receptionists are executed for refusing to phone a particular number to lull people to their death, the question of collusion rears it’s ugly head.
Written by John Collee and Anthony Maras, Hotel Mumbai is an act of faith, and whether the choice you have made reflects your soul or the hatred of another’s disgust and rhetoric, for some the choice seems to be indistinguishable, and this is the most frightening thing in a world teetering on the edge of animosity and cheered on by lunatics.
Ian D. Hall