There’s something inherently twisted with this picture, and that’s the good thing about it. There’s a particular flavour, or perhaps I should say an almost perceptive stench in how decadent the visuals are in this film. That’s also a good thing, in this case. That being said, I did have some major issues with the coherence and I personally found the engagement low. I want to give it the benefit of the doubt. I know there are people who will love the aesthetic, but past that I didn’t find anything to grasp.

Hotel Poseidon (2021) is written and directed by Stefan Lernous. Dave (Tom Vermeir) inhabits the decrepit Hotel Poseidon, sometimes even acting as its manager. He will end up playing host to a gallery of characters, including his not-too-kind mother (Tania Van der Sanden) that come over. Some of these people have ideas, some just appear and all of them look like denizens from another plane of existence. There’s something about keeping the hotel running (although it’s not), deal with the death of Aunt Lucy (which doesn’t go far) and a party of some sort.

Visually, I found there’s charm in the completely dilapidated look of this universe. It’s all a bit surreal and I am sure there will be people who will become instant fans of this movie. However, I must admit I found myself unable to connect with any of the characters. Some of the characters seem interesting but they don’t reappear. The plot is minimal, things just happen around Dave. Sometimes he reacts, other times he just hides and runs away. If there was any particular conflict resolved, I entirely missed it. If there was any character development, it sneaked past me.

Maybe recommended for audiences for its eerie decrepit visual charm. I didn’t find any semblance of an overall premise in sight. I know that’s me and some audiences will just be captivated with this world, but I failed to find anything engaging about these characters that would make me interested in watching it past the visuals. It is in the category for the Cheval Noir, so I know it will find an audience. I just barely made it through a single watch, so it has definitely gone over my head.

That will do for now.