“Hotel Inferno” (2013) Could Have Been So Much More

The “Hotel Inferno” movies had been floating around on my Watchlist for quite some time. It’s definitely one of those movies that catches your eye with its poster art and description. An entirely POV splatter-fest, like a live-action version of DOOM. On paper it sounds amazing, and for what it’s worth I believe this movie was the first time anyone had tried to capture the vibe of a first-person shooter in a feature-length film. However, it ultimately couldn’t live up to its full potential.

The film follows you, Frank Zimosa, a hit-man contracted for the fairly simple task of killing a couple staying at your employer’s hotel. The story is told entirely from Frank’s POV, both with and without special sunglasses that provide a HUD for his mission. Our employer, Jorge Mistrandia, provides all of the exposition and then some. It’s unclear if the first 20 minutes are supposed to feel like a video game intro, with an NPC providing heavy-handed tutorial instructions and backstory, but that’s how it comes off. Unfortunately, this doesn’t improve as the movie progresses.

Freaked out by all of the weird shit that happens when he goes after his intended target, Frank goes rogue. Needless to say his boss is pissed. He sends all of his men after Frank (apparently everyone at the hotel), and we’re treated to a number of first-person fights and head explosions as he makes his way through the labyrinthine complex. Jorge calls in occasionally to explain (in excruciating detail) every weird thing that Frank stumbles…