Horror-101

‘Hostel: Part II’ Fails to Impress on Most Accounts

Blood and boobs do not a movie make.

directed and written by Eli Roth

Let me begin this review by saying that my expectations for Hostel: Part II were not very high. It has nothing to do with writer/director Eli Roth or anything like that; I just didn’t think there was much left to be done with the story. I thought Cabin Fever, Roth’s 2003 debut, was a lot of fun. While I’ve come across many horror fans that didn’t like it, I found it to be very enjoyable and a promising first effort. With a little work, I believed, Roth could really be something. Early last year, Hostel was released. While it was by no means a bad film, it seemed like a regression. He improved a little in some aspects, but his scripting, something that could use enrichment, seemingly got worse. I did not count him out yet, but I wanted to see him work on something fresh. I didn’t want to see another Hostel, but alas, here we are.

This film picks up right were the first one left off, with Paxton (Jay Hernandez) in a witness protection program. I’m glad that he returned, but I think more could have been done with the character than what does in the movie. Soon after, we are introduced to the new lead characters, all of whom are pretty annoying and not the best actresses. We have Beth (Lauren German, who you may remember as the derranged hitchhiker from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake) as the typical lead girl (Roth doesn’t tease as to who the final girl will be this time around) who has the complete package — looks, money, and common sense. She is an American studying in Rome with her horny, hard-partying friend, Whitney (Bijou Phillips), and Lorna (Heather Matarazzo), a strange nerd. They are set to take a trip to Prague, but Axelle (Vera Jordanova), a beautiful, foreign model, convinces the trio to visit the world renowned hot springs in Slovakia instead.

Much like the first film, there is a lot of partying as a prelude to the madness that is sure to come. The group parties it up on the train ride and then attends a festival when they to arrive at their destination. You know how the rest goes. We are also introduced to Todd (Richard Burgi) and Stuart (Roger Bart), two rich Americans, and they are one of the best parts of the movie. Todd is a power hungry alpha male that can’t wait to get to the killing, whereas Stuart is reluctant about the whole situation. I must give Roth credit for this one. While I thought everything that needed to be done was accomplished in one film, he proved me wrong. This time around, we get to see clients bid on victims, get their tattoos done, pick out weapons, and step in the dank rooms. I think showing the majority of the film from their perspective would have made for a better, more interesting movie, but the taste we get is ever so sweet.

Of course, everyone is curious about the “most shocking” ending that the TV spots boast. I’m not going to give it away, obviously, but it’s a good one. It’s far from the most shocking, but it still made me squirm a bit. Everything ends rather abruptly though. As you may expect, there’s plenty of the red stuff flowing throughout the film. The cringe-worthy deaths look great, thanks in no small part to Gregory Nicotero (Kill Bill, Day of the Dead, Evil Dead II). While there’s probably even more blood this time around, the film in general just didn’t have the brutal tone that made the first one memorable.

Overall, this is merely a mediocre film. It’s too much of a predictable rehash to be anything more. The behind-the-scenes look at the villain’s involvement in the business is really the only thing that redeems it from being a completely unnecessary cash in. Otherwise, it’s inferior to the original and doesn’t further the story. We’ve seen this once before, so it’s Roth’s job to make me care again, which I did not. Frankly, I wanted the characters to die. Maybe that’s half the fun of these movies, but I felt no compassion for them. As far as sequels go, far worse have been made, but I pretty much got what I was expecting.

This just goes to show you that boobs and blood are both great and can enhance a movie, but you cannot solely rely on those as your main draw. Yes, there’s plenty of shock value in Hostel: Part II (particularly the climax), but that does not make it good. Critics have been calling films like this “torture porn,” which I think is ridiculous, but is it really horror? Sure, there’s bad guys that kill people, resulting in lots of blood, but that does not elicit fear. There is no suspense or tension to be found, which is the ultimate downfall. Take away all the gore and you’re not left with much of a film. Roth is talented, and I believe that he can do better than this.

Horror-101 gives Hostel: Part II a 63 out of 101

9 Comments

Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.