Heaven to hell...

Rating: 10/10 (28 January 2006)

This is an amazingly believable movie for those not blinded by naiveté.
While graphic in it's depiction of nudity and violence; all of this is both relevant and necessary to the plot as the characters and story develop from a hedonistic heaven to a hell beyond imagining.
I saw this movie in a cinema in the Toronto area; ignorant of the plot or genre of the movie and came out surprised, impressed and somewhat shocked (which is the goal of the genre). My companion suggested this movie as she thought she had heard about it. Afterwards, she admitted it was not what she thought it was. I am not normally a fan of horror movies (mostly turned off by the likes of Freddy Kruger et al); had I known we likely would have picked something else. That being said, I must rate this in a category of believable horror with movies like Silence of the Lambs.
Definitely NOT recommended for the squeamish.
The actors are largely unknowns but deliver good performances that are in line with the characters they portray. The setting and premise, which some might find incredible as compared to safe and civilized western society, was all too credible to my companion (who is from eastern Europe) and I.
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The central characters (2 American males and one Icelander), searching for hormone induced entertainment at its most basic human (read male) level, find themselves in an eastern European backwater city in a "hostel" where their disappointment at having to share a room turns to joy as they discover their roommates are beautiful young women. But as first one then another disappear without reason, the remaining one searches for his friend and answers to the mystery and is horrified to find both in a human slaughterhouse where 'clients' pay for the privilege of killing people.
Characters introduced early in the film re-appear when you least expect them, which is somewhat reminiscent of the typical Hollywood happy ending as they get no less than they deserve but this device is not overdone and serves to advance the story. At the end of the story, there is little in the way of happy endings for most of the characters.
At the end, the remaining survivor descends to deliver a little horror of his own to one who deserves no less.
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Highly recommended if you like horror!