That's it?

Rating: 3/10 (7 January 2006)

I saw all these trailers that were promising gore and blood and horrible unspeakable acts that were going to happen in this movie. I was excited thinking if they put a decent story behind what they are promising than who knows this could turn into a great movie. I eagerly awaited Hostel's release and I went to see it opening day. After all was said and done I wondered is that it? Its over? Was there blood? Yes. And there were several scenes of torture also as promised. However Hostel fell short in my mind for several reasons First off, my biggest problem was the entire hook that this movie was wrapped around. Its gore. Yes it was present but the commercials made this movie out to be so graphic that if you're a tad bit squeamish don't go see it. I know that the type of people that the premise of this movie appeals to...I am the type of people and the commercials did a good job to really build up that type of person's interest. But when push came to shove frankly I wasn't impressed it was just too little from a filmed that promised too much. There are things in movies that make me cringe its not like it is a hard task or anything. But Hostel didn't make me want to cringe or feel queasy or any of that. My second problem was Eli Roth's laughable directing style. Roth really needs to decide whether he wants to direct horrors or comedies as he falls into the same problem that he got into with Cabin Fever in that he tries to mix the genres. The problem is that at some parts of the movie you're not sure if you should scream or laugh. Since you can't decide you don't do either and you aren't terrified or amused and the scene is wasted. Roth has great directing ability but he needs to focus on a genre. The movie does have its good points. The women are very very beautiful in this movie. Also the storyline while thin could be worse I suppose. It was frighting because in theory it could happen and thats about the only terror Hostel had as it was hardly suspenseful. Eli Roth does throw in some good laughs as well as a couple brutally graphic scenes, albeit far from what the film was told to deliver. In the end, Hostel just doesn't satisfy. I left the theater wishing I would have either had a richer plot or more gore. Either would have sufficed. To describe it best Hostel is much like an amateur sniper. The beginning take a long time aiming up for a perfect shot, such a long time that one gets impatient, and when that shot finally comes it seems rushed and as a result misses its mark entirely. If you want to see gore then save your money and rent or buy Saw 2 when it's released on DVD. Saw 2 is far superior in every way. (I.e. gore, plot, ending, acting, directing) Where as Hostel falls just short on every single promise it made and every thing a horror movie should include. If you're expecting to see buckets of blood you'll see it but you won't see how it got there and to me thats the main point. Don't see Hostel if you want to see a gory movie, or a good horror movie, or high hopes. If you don't go into it with any of these desires you may leave happy, otherwise you'll just leave unfulfilled.