A throwback to comedic and gory classic Horror!

Rating: Null/10 (26 May 2009)

I have to say, the only reason I wanted to see Hostel was because it, along with Saw, is what started the trend of 'torture porn'. I was anticipating something along the lines of Saw, but got something way different. Whereas Saw was very much a drama/crime thriller with clever plot twists all around, and had more disturbing scenes, Hostel is the opposite. From the get-go, it knows it is a horror film, it bombards the audience with all the sex and nudity it can, it acts stupid and moral-less, but the film actually starts off slow. It introduces these characters, that although we know they are unlikeable, Eli Roth knows how to make us care for them. I do not think that would matter if they had not been very well developed, but it is a plus side. Hostel is more gory than Saw, Saw actually never had much gore (which is a very under-hidden fact). Hostel has a lot of gore, but not very realistic, which I thought made it even better. It reminded me of classic horror films that had loud dramatic music, cheesy actions and dialogue, but still managed to not be a joke. Saw was way more intense, but that is because it took itself a lot more seriously. Hostel actually does not have a lot of horror parts, but when it does, it does not disappoint in gore. I was a big fan of Roth's earlier horror film, Cabin Fever. I thought it was fun and funny, and Hostel is too, but is also more likable in a way. The performances, while in a way look cheesy, are still very good, and in acting, Hostel beats Saw.
I very much started to like the film, and by the end, I loved it. There are not this many gory, fun, and cleverly comedic horror films these days. They try to be, but not in this way. Thumbs up for Hostel,a nd it holds it's own.