BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE ***

At 141 minutes it's certainly on the long side and it's not perfect, (mucking about with the time spans and juggling several plots it sometimes feels clever just for the sake of being clever), but nevertheless Drew Goddard's "Bad Times at the El Royale" is still hugely imaginative and really good fun, something most movies  just aren't these days.  The plot or plots may stretch credulity but a terrific cast, (Cynthia Erivo, Chris Hemsworth and Lewis Pullman have the best of it), and Goddard's imagination, (he both wrote and directed it), carry the day and despite its length it moves with the speed of a rollercoaster, pulling a few genuine surprises along the way. Tarantino may have been an influence but Goddard, who also made "Cabin in the Woods", is still going places all on his own.