"Hostel"- More than just gore (thought there is that aplenty), there's a little more going on here beneath the surface than most people will recognize...

Rating: 9/10 (19 October 2016)

If there's one label that has been thrown around way too much the past decade and that I detest with my very being, it's the current trend of referring to everything as "porn." A new romantic comedy comes out? It's "Girl Porn." A new Stallone action-flick comes out? It's "Action Porn." A new R-rated horror flick? Of course, it's usually saddled with the inflammatory and unflattering moniker of "torture porn."
The trend more-or-less was set in motion in the mid-2000's, with the rise of a new stable of horror films that put their focus on extreme situations and circumstances, which often included a degree of torture or gore. Most people seem to point their fingers at 2004's release "Saw" as the start of this trend, however inaccurate though this may be. (It's actually quite a tame film.) In my mind, though, the 2005 film "Hostel", helmed by gore-maestro Eli Roth is probably when the popularity of this term unfortunately picked up, with its storyline based around a corrupt and vile company where the ability to torture and murder can be paid for by the rich elite of the world.
It was a controversial film to say the least. I remember the tension and the excitement and the backlash that built around it like it was yesterday. Angry parents condemned it for glorifying violence while film-goers hungry for something new and extreme offered glowing praise for pushing the boundaries. I even remember going into the theater opening night and seeing that there were literally cops on hand to kick out under-aged teens who tried to sneak in, and being double and triple-checked for ID practically every time you so much as turned your head. It stopped being a movie. It became an event in the world of film audiences. Something I hadn't ever seen before as a teenager at the time.
And yet, in the years that have passed, this initial rush of excitement has been replaced with a palpable sense of indifference and apathy from those same audience members who had so excitedly rushed to theaters to see it opening weekend. The cultural phenomena died down as people stopped seeing it as a special experience and dismissed it with that term I hate so much. People now crucify it in reviews as simply being "shallow gore for the sake of gore."
But I don't agree. Yes, it is most certainly a blatant, brutal and bloody film. And yes, it most certainly is exploitation cinema at its most obvious. But I do think there's a lot more going on under the surface than most people will see (or at least admit), and for me, it's actually held up quite well.
We follow a group of American college students (Jay Hernandez, Derek Richardson) backpacking through Europe with their Icelandic friend Oli. (Eyþór Guðjónsson) Seeking no-strings fun and indulging in drugs and sex, the group are having the time of their life... without realizing how corrupt and selfish their actions are making them. Upon the suggestion of a young man they meet, they head to Slovakia and stay in a mysterious hostel where they are promised to be met with grand parties and beautiful women. But things are not what they seem, and soon they will learn that they have been lured into a vile trap... now targets of a devious company that sells humans for torture and murder to the highest bidder.
At its heart, "Hostel" is for all intents and purposes a very dark fable about morality and the things we take for granted in the modern world. It's also most certainly a commentary on American culture and consumerism as a whole, and concepts like American Exceptionalism and the idea that we as Americans are inherently "superior" or "invincible." At the time of its release, the US was in a very turbulent period in its history, with patriotism running high (many would argue too high to the point of being blinding) and a shaky government at war with various enemies. This is very much reflected in the film, which is brimming with a lot of subtle satire. It's actually very well developed and delivered.
The elements of horror and the performances are stellar as well. Roth has a good, slow-build to his narratives, and it gives the film a nice old-fashioned vibe in comparison to the increasingly complex and extreme content presented.
While it will continue to be dismissed, I do think that "Hostel" is far more clever a film than many will admit. And I think that for fans of horror... or even fans of film analysis in general, that it is a journey through depravity that is well worth taking.
I give it a very strong 9 out of 10.