Hostel Skirts Hype And Manages New Horror

Rating: 7/10 (13 December 2007)

This is a film for horror fans, if you don't really, really like horror films(gore included), I mean really, than don't see it. The first half of the film before the characters arrive at their destination is all frat boyish American fantasy European road trip film, which is later mirrored and satirized in the events of horror that actually take place. Though the film is full of extreme gore and violence(and a pretty cool ode to "Suicide Club"), there was a lot more subtlety to the story than I expected, though I cant imagine too many people really looking at it for anything other than the violence. It was a lot better than I expected, but not "the scariest film ever" that it is claimed to be. I'm also sick of Quentin Tarintino sticking his name on everything, its just a trick to confuse people who aren't paying attention, and as always giving him way more credit than he deserves(see Hero). There are also subtle themes about globalization and exploitation here, a critical view of the American and westerner in general who feel they can "buy" anything, which also asks us as "horror" fans what "price" we are willing to pay to see our violent collective fantasies laid out.