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Release Date: June 8th, 2007 by Lionsgate Films. The Cast: Lauren German, Roger Bart, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips, Richard Burgi, Vera Jordanova, Jay Hernandez, Jordan Ladd. Directed by Eli Roth. BASIC PREMISE: When Beth (German), Lorna (Matarazzo) and Whitney (Phillips), three Americans studying in Rome, go on a weekend trip to Prague, they end up in Slovakia, where brutal torturers lure them to a hostel. ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: Hostel: Part II lacks the intensity and brutally terrifying scenes found in Hostel. The plot begins when the torturers kill Paxton (Hernandez), the last surviving victim. Now, the torturers move onto three new victims to lure: Beth, Lorna and Whitney. Beth is the smartest of them all while Lorna is the dumbest, especially given that she lets a shady, burly man she meets the hostel take her out on a boat ride alone—either she has never seen a horror film in or life or she wants to die. Too many scenes feel merely like a set-up for the forthcoming torture while the actual torture scenes are ephemeral. Writer/director Eli Roth spends too much time in the first act as the torturers lure the girls one at a time. If only more time were spent inside the torture chambers which would have added some claustrophobia and unease. It’s imaginative and interesting, though, that he includes more details about how the torturers’ operation works and tries to humanize one of them, Stuart (Bart), who happens to be a family man and an insecure newbie torturer. All of the victims are pretty to look at, but none of them are humanized so that you actually care about them. Unfortunately, there’s simply not nearly enough shocking, disturbing scenes and gore to satisfy the craving of horror fans. It would have been helpful if there were at least some campy scenes to compensate for the lack of scares, which ultimately feels underwhelming. SPIRITUAL VALUE: None is required or desired. INSULT TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE: None, as long as you suspend your disbelief. NUMBER OF TIMES I CHECKED MY WATCH: 8 IN A NUTSHELL: A slightly imaginative plot, but lacking any real scares, intensity and shocking gore. RECOMMENDED WAY TO WATCH: TV Main Page Alphabetical Menu Chronological Menu The "H" Menu ______________________________________________________ |
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