An exemplary horror film in the new millennium

Rating: Null/10 (16 November 2012)

This is the first review I have written for IMDb. Honestly, I find it strange that it's for this film. I felt compelled to do so since I feel it deserves a higher rating. Enough people have committed their time writing about the works of Lynch, Jodorowsky, Spielberg, Haneke etc.
Eli Roth wrote and directed this 2006 horror film and it will probably go on to be one of the few American horror films people remember from that period. So, why is it worth remembering? Compared to the wave/crop of remakes/rehashes pouring out of Hollywood, or the clinical ultragore (impressively) imported from Asia, this film stands apart.
With a well structured story and strong character development, Hostel is a great horror film. The characters are better thought out than in many other recent examples from this genre. It takes its time rather building up tension and it pays off in well thought doses throughout the runtime.
We follow three young men traveling through Europe having a care-free summer (two Americans who just graduated from high school and a slightly older Icelandic guy they've met on the road and has tagged along). Opening on their time in Amsterdam, they catch wind that they can have a better & cheaper time in Slovakia. From there, the vacation turns into a nightmare.
Roth has put this film together perfectly. It is filmed beautifully (apart from the faux- Amsterdam scenes), he not only captures the settings well but the entire cast do their job and carry every scene. I have to note Jay Hernandez's performance throughout the second half. His character's anecdote about a girl drowning is integrated/recalled in a great and somewhat-subtle manner later on.
What is highly commendable is how reserved the film is. It is not 100% gore. Apart from what might account for 3 instances of torture scenes, the majority of the film is set on character development and stringing the three main characters along in a "The Wicker Man" style demise.
Also, the soundtrack. Finally, a director that did not employ a roster of rock bands to create a soundtrack, or rely on studio musicians to crank out a half-assed set of music. Roth instead chose traditional instruments (symphony, orchestra, what-have-you etc.) as music to set the mood (except "How Do" by Sneaker Pimps, coincidentally recalling it is their rendition of a song from The Wicker Man (check out Isobel Campbell's rendition "Willow's Song", it's quite good as well.))
Anyway, it's a been a long day, I should have written this with more energy/focus/sobriety but I thought I'd do my part and post something. If you liked this, Hostel 2 is a spectacular follow-up!