Brilliant, terrifying film-making at its most primal...

Rating: 9/10 (17 February 2006)

Hostel is a terrifying ride, from almost beginning to end. Although it takes over 40 minutes for the action to set in, the most horrifying thing about this film is that all the while, as you watch these young men have fun, you're fully aware of what will eventually happen to them. They laugh, smoke, have sex, and generally enjoy themselves as the audience winces in their seat, unsure of what moment will be their last. And then, when the violence finally starts, it fails to ever let up. Rather than having gore spray like fountains, you're treated to snipped tendons, puncture wounds, and the like - all of which are far more cringe-inducing than a head popping off. A unrelenting film, coupled with a very satisfying ending, make this one of my top horror picks for 2006. I think the US will be hard-pressed to find something that out-does this in the next ten months.