Hostel

Return to the Main Page

Summary:
Two American friends go backpacking in Amsterdam, and hole up in a hostel because of all the hot sexy nympho ladies residing there. Little do they know that they will soon become involved in a most horrific experience that will change (or take) their lives forever.

Review:
What was I looking for as I went into Hostel? Some good laughs, great gore, and overall brainless entertainment. That's about what I got as well. First of all, I find the 'responsible' American to be too responsible to handle the irresponsible actions of his friend. Oh, and the Icelandic dude that goes travelling with them... yeah... I just couldn't wait until they all started getting tortured! I hate these guys, and they're JUST the reason that foreigners hate Americans!
For the first half hour, it's just a bunch of ridiculous gratuitous nudity in Amsterdam. I was a little bummed out, because they were a lot of UGLY naked chicks, so I wasn't getting Mr. Winkey up to the occassion. Then, they head out to wherever they went to become the nightmarish result of a Hostel Takeover. It's some small town in some country somewhere. I don't know. I forget. But I don't really care. I just want to start LAUGHING gleefully at the horrible mutilations!
We soon find out that rich people can pay to torture visitors in this hostel, and of course we soon learn that our two American friends and their Icelandic friend are about to get fucked up royally. When it comes to the torture, it was a lot tamer than I thought it would be, but I appreciate the latex and goo as opposed to shitty CGI. Eli Roth knows what he's doing in that respect. He also knows how to make me laugh.
Anyone who plans to take this movie seriously, or expect more than just gratuitous sex and violence might not want to go see it. I find the street gang kids to be kinda funny, the naked chicks underpar (except for one of them; Josh's girlfriend is a hottie), and some stupid humor that goes a little above what I find appropriate. I did enjoy the final 25 minutes quite a bit, but the final death/murder was a little TOO easy, considering that the name of the movie's game is torture, so one should have spent more time destroying this last victim.

I also fucking HATE that lawyer-type so-called "comedian" that was also the lawyer-type "comic relief" in Cellular. This guy is fucking stupid beyond belief, and he should never ever be in a movie again. The End.

GRADE: B-

TRIVIA:
Takashe Miike is the Japanese dude who walks out of the building saying "Be careful. You could spend all your money in there." He's the famously graphic director of such Japanese classics as Audition and Ichi the Killer.

Reviewed: 1/21/06