Review of Hostel (2011) by Cale R — 13 Jul 2010

Its official, as a nation the United States is not only capable of making second rate remakes, we are actually able to turn out something all original, and freaking awesome. After the unbelievably amazing Cabin Fever that we got in 2002 I was stoked to hear that Eli Roth was doing a sophomore movie, and even more excited that it was going to be in the torture sub genre.

The only hesitation that I ever had about this movie was, is it going to go bold and original or fall into the same Saw crap that we've been seeing left and right. Luckily the final turn out of Hostel was not like Saw or any other horror flick I've ever seen.

So the plot is based around some young guys taking a backpacking trip through Europe. One thing turns into another and they end up staying at a Hostel that doubles as a scope out for a secret club in which people pay some big bucks to kill people, Americans being a favorite.

It sounds all original and that is because it is. In movies today there just seems to be a formula that everyone follows, every director, every actor, every writer, just everyone. And only on a blue moon does someone through the formula out the window, and that is exactly what Roth did.

The movie was so unpredictable and engrossing, that by the time its over you'll feel like you just sat down. As for acting, this could have easily been a flaw in the film. It would have been incredible easy for everyone to skimp on actors and put more of the money to something no one watching the movie would notice.

But instead we got fresh faces who actually knew what they were doing. If you are or ever were a horny teenager you are going to be able to relate to these characters. Gore, hmmmmmmm I do not even know where to start.

I don't want to spoil anything but let's just say you get a lot and lot of red stuff. Some of it including , eyeball drilling, scalpel action, mangled bodies, decapitation and so, so much more.

When reading reviews about this movie I can't tell you how many times I've read how it took too long to get to the point. It's called developing a story people. If a movie builds up a story and characters you'll say its dull, if it jumps right in you'll say it lacked suspense, there is no way to win.

All I know is I was in no way shape or form bored at any time. One this I hate about gnarly horror movies is when the director thinks just because he is doing some gruesome stuff on screen, the movie can't look good.

Hostel threw that out the window, cinema photography, lighting, all the visuals were simply stunning and made the film so easy to watch. In other words no shaky cam crap. Hostel is one of the best horror movies to come out since Cabin Fever, its raw, gutty, original, blood soaked, and just plain old good horror.

If you are a fan at all of the genre you have to check this one out.