What if you throw several crime doc junkies, influencers and washed actors into a hotel where numerous people allegedly died in? That’s what we unpack through the eight diabolical and bloody ride that is the Shudder original series Hell Motel. Emmy-winning actor Eric McCormack stars in the horror series created by Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter.
Hell Motel plot
Hell Motel follows a group of true crime obsessives invited to the opening weekend of Cold River Motel, the site of the unsolved Satanic Mass Murder that happened 30 years ago. As they check in, history repeats itself as the guests start getting killed one by one.
Hell Motel review
When you have a horror show, you know you want to start with shock and awe to reel the viewers into this world the creators are building. I loved how they opened the series with us reliving the moments of the 30 years prior when the Satanic Mass Murder unfolded at the motel. As a result, you are sucked into this world and know what is ahead for our cast of crime junkies set to check in.
I had two bones to pick with the show, one being with them revealing too much and the other the pacing. You probably read that and think I am crazy, and I very well might be. That said, in the early stages, I felt like they bit off more than they could chew by revealing a little too much. It’s almost as if they delivered a lot early, to get audiences hooked, but they backed themselves into the corner with the middle episodes.
Of course, this led to pacing issues. At times, it is frantic in how things are unfolding, and at others it takes time for it to build. In the modern streaming age, I can see audiences being slightly impatient with the week-to-week aspect. It fits more in the style in which I watched it, bingeing it all at once because I knew more was ahead. But the casual viewer might throw in the towel, which I hope they don’t because the payoff is worthy of the watch.
Now, for what I loved, Hell Motel is an absolute bloodbath. The gore is bloody, ruthless, and just nasty. We all know that Shudder isn’t afraid to get their hands bloody with the delivery of their projects, and this one didn’t disappoint. It was very reminiscent of the early slasher style that we all grew up with. Kudos to everyone involved on the hair and makeup team, because there were several “gross” moments.
I am not sure that they could’ve found a more diverse selection of oddballs for this cast. How they cast the show allowed for them to highlight the diversity of what the crime junkie space has. I don’t particularly feel like anyone stood out more than anyone else. Instead, each played the part of what they were supposed to get the job done. The casting team deserves major props.
One of the most important jobs within any horror project is the score. A composer’s work can make or break the tension that the writers are attempting to build. Luckily for Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter, Spencer Creaghan delivers the goods. When you have your characters hiding from the killer, or you have that long pause in between moments, you rely on that score to elevate the scene and help deliver that scare.
Is Hell Motel Worth Watching?
If you are looking for a bloody and gory thrill ride, Hell Motel is the perfect series for you. Aaron Martin and Ian Carpenter create a modern classic of a series that delivers modern-themed horror while honoring the genre simultaneously. Even with the minor issues with the pacing, I still found myself along for the ride because of a rock-solid ensemble that each play their part. I don’t even hate the idea of these two creating a second season with a different tale.
Hell Motel will stream on Shudder and AMC+ Tuesday’s through July 29
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
