Gripping true story

Rating: 9/10 (8 December 2019)

HOTEL MUMBAI is a big-budget dramatic retelling of the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, in which a group of young men, radicalised by their sinister minder in Pakistan, arrive in Mumbai to kill as many people as possible. Most of the action takes place within the corridors of the sumptuous hotel, which is more like a palace, and realism is crucial throughout. I've seen criticism that some feel this film takes an exploitative approach, but I couldn't disagree more. It tells the story in a non-sensationalised way, refusing to dwell on violence and presenting the events that play out in a matter of fact fashion. The performances are sufficiently subdued to be convincing, and the heart warms from moments of heroism and courage amid the carnage.