Hotel Colonial (1987) User Reviews

This hotel's okay, but...

[PeterMitchell-506-564364 · 6/10 · 16 December 2012]

This movie's more a drama than an action piece, with the pace, that of a snail. In actuality, it's easy to see how this only lasted a week at the cinema, where it took 17 months to hit video. Fine actor, John Savage deserves better than this. Not to say Hotel Colonial is bad, but it's hardly good either, seeing as how about four writers worked on this misfire. Savage's estranged brother, Luca (Duvall), a big known terrorist is killed, as seen at the start. A silencer was used, a cockroach scuttling across the floor, after we see a spray of blood, preceded by a PHHTT! Savage, skeptical about Luca's death, travels to Columbia to get answers. A flashback scene shot in sepia, with Savage visiting his brother was one of the few things I liked in this film. Savage has a guide, Rachel Ward, who we kind of get the gist, she's trying to detract Savage from finding out the the real truth. He finally arrives at the famous Hotel Colonial, one of the best facades I've seen in a hotel. Here, Savage is befriended by a guy called Carasco, who looks somewhat like Luca, Duvall doubling of course here. Carasco is bad. He makes documentaries, with him wrestling anaconda's in the jungle. He also sells drugs and provides sexual services, using little Columbian girls, not more than 7. Sick f..k like he is, he even has as portfolio that Savage peruses, one little girl, totally naked. Duvall creeps up behind him and says "Any there that interest you?", where Savage replies in a sort of hesitation, "I've been out of school a long tme". Of course, from here he takes an instant disliking to this guy. Carasco also likes to shoot the s..t out of baboons in dawn hunts, which Savage is totally adverse to, when forced to come with em'. This movie has a little action, some interesting scenes, but mostly it's a bore with little surprise or thrills, but beautiful and lush locations. It's a shame as judging by it's story, Hotel Colonial could of been a lot better. It is an adventure, but it's a hell of a long ride too. It's explosive ending, justified and purposeful, thankfully doesn't make the film a total loss, but a lot of people out there, will be glad it just ended. This movie doesn't respect a fine actor like Savage, too. Try to make sense of the scene where a mob of kids, are chasing Savage down an alley.

This is no one's shining moment

[jonorrhea · 17 February 2004]

I think everyone involved with this film used it as a means to get a paid vacation out of the producers. My favorite thing about this film is Robert Duvall's wig-which looks like it is sewn together out of a paint brush (Sonny Crockett's dad meets Sherwin Williams).

Warning-some spoilers

[jonorrhea · 17 February 2004]

After seeing this I can't understand why any of these actors would have agreed to be in it. The story, essentially, is about Marco going to Colombia to recover the remains of his brother who has supposedly committed suicide. The brother is a former Italian terrorist who has been avoiding extradition. Much of this film seems at odds with itself. The music contrasts jarringly with the subject matter; the story seems to careen around with a mind of its own; the accents are ridiculous; and there doesn't seem to be any direction from the director. The three main characters are supposed to be Italian, and are played by Savage, Duvall, and Ward. Savage is as much a Gringo as ever-he doesn't even bother to attempt to be Italian, Duvall seems to be confused as to who his character is and ends up with some sort of Spanish accent (even in scenes where he drops his false persona), and Ward's native Brit accent keeps undermining whatever it is she's trying to affect. There is no point to this film.