A Very Disturbing Movie On Several Levels...

Rating: 6/10 (22 January 2006)

Although I found this movie original.. and I appreciate the revival of horror films with the essential sex, nudity, and violence I grew accustomed to with the great horror classics of the seventies and eighties. This film was a disappointment to me as well.
I think my biggest disappointment was that there wasn't a single main character I found the least bit likable.
True, I felt a little guilty to watch such senseless and cold violence, but I felt guiltier that I didn't really care.. and I was even relieved at times.. when the supposedly "good guys" in the movie met their grisly fate.
It also bothers me that the most annoying character of all.. is the only one who makes it out.. albeit semi-intact.
I admit that one of the main reasons I went to this movie was that Tarantino's name was associated with it.. but only as a producer.. this movie bears nothing in common with any other Tarantino directed or written movies I've ever seen. I would never have guessed he had a thing to do with it's production, had his name not been in the credits and advertising for this film.
On the plus side.. the locations for this movie are spectacular.. and eerie. I confess too.. that it rekindled my lust to travel.
The most realistic aspects of this movie are that there really are people out there that evil and sadistic. No need for made up monsters in film, except that they are much funner. The other is that people from the United States.. are probably the most hated people on Earth right now, for reasons that should be obvious to all but those in the worst state of denial.
I'll probably watch this movie again on a pay subscription service.. or on DVD with a curious friend. But I will never rave about it.. or consider it a classic.
I will always be a little embarrassed, and annoyed at myself.. for liking it at all.