Hotel Mumbai (5 Stars)

This is the chilling true story of the terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26th November 2008. I remember watching the news on television, but I didn't realise how devastating the attack was until I saw the film last year.

There were attacks throughout the city, an initial attack at the CST train station, followed by simultaneous attacks on various other locations. Hotels were the main focus of the attacks, because the perpetrators wanted to kill foreigners. The film concentrates on the assault on the Taj Hotel. It seems from the film that only two terrorists were supposed to be in the hotel, but another two terrorists took refuge in the hotel while fleeing from the police.

The film's main character is a heroic young waiter called Arjun, played by Dev Patel. Difficult times make heroes of seemingly timid people. Calamity struck, and he revealed himself to be a natural leader, risking his life to protect the guests.

Would I have been heroic in such circumstances? I don't know. I don't see myself as a hero. I would probably have been running to save my own life. Maybe a situation like this would change me. I hope I never have to find out.

With the exception of one young man, Imran, we don't get to know the terrorists. We just know that they're young Moslems who have been radicalised by a man called Bull, who we only hear on the phone. His real name is Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and he currently operates in Kashmir. He was arrested in 2009, but he ran away when he was released on bail in 2015. Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister of Pakistan, claims that the Pakistani government was involved in the attacks.

The film has the atmosphere of a disaster movie. The terrorists are a faceless force, killing indiscriminately. The people in the hotel, customers and staff, all unarmed, have no chance of defending themselves and have to run from one hiding place to another.

As a disaster movie it's not uplifting. Some of the characters survive, most don't. The film is chilling and horrific in its shocking realism.

Success Rate:  - 0.8

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