Movie Review: Hostel

OK. I don't typically see horror films any more. They're usually fixated on meeting some mimimum number of slashings or a gore-per-second quotient. However, Hostel had two things going for it: (1) Quentin Tarrentino was involved; (2) average critic ratings was about a "B" or "B-" and in horror terms, having a B-rating is quite high. So, I went to see the film...

Mistake.

Here's the concept: College-age kids go backpacking in Europe mostly looking for a little action, and staying in youth hostels along the way. They hear about some "really hot girls" in this hostel in Slovakia -- way out of the way, but worth the trip. They go. One by one, the guys are kidnapped and taken to the hostel, waking up to find themselves the playthings of torture-for-hire customers. It should not come as a SPOILER to hear that the final guy miraculously and improbably escapes and is about to get away, only to be pulled back as he hears the screaming of some girl.

Awwwww........

Even more improbable than his initial escape is how he re-enters the torture complex, finds the girl, helps her escape and returns to the get-away spot again... Oh! I forgot to mention that he's doing all this after both of his hands were mangled. Yeah. That wouldn't slow him down. Not much.

OK. So, QT didn't actually direct this film. I'll admit that going in I thought QT was the director and I was looking for some his trademarks -- significant music; respectful references to other films. Instead, what we got was a re-hashing of that same old tired plot from the 80's and 90's where rich guys pay sleezy guys so they can hunt/torture/kill humans. Usually though, it's an American redneck who's the sleeze providing the quarry. This time, it's a former Soviet block group acting as host.

Don't waste your time seeing this film. Wait till it's on free cable.

In my next post, I'm going to give some quick-and-dirty reviews of a few films I saw during the '05 holidays. Some good ones there!

Cheers!