Movies built around the you-are-there intensity of real-life tragedy flirt dangerously with exploitation; this one’s visceral effectiveness too rarely translates into genuine emotional connection to the victims. On Nov. 26, 2008, Pakistani terrorists launched a multi-venue campaign of violence in India, including at the upscale Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. The narrative here focuses on those who survive the initial assault, as employees like Sikh waiter Arjun (Dev Patel) try to keep guests alive and hidden from the gunmen. Director Anthony Maras (who co-wrote with John Collee) spends a lot of time on the mechanics of the terrorists’ plans, occasionally suggesting the extent to which they were patsies of their ringleader. There’s some strong material surrounding Arjun’s calm under pressure, and the simple—if grossly manipulative—tension of someone trying to remain undiscovered while silencing a crying baby. Yet most of the attempts at generating sympathy for individuals—a married couple (Armie Hammer and Nazanin Boniadi), or Arjun’s anxious wife at home—come off feeling superficial. By the end, it’s hard to see the narrative conveying much more than “well, that was terrifying.” By Scott Renshaw