Horror Extreme Movie Catalog

Hostel gathered a lot of controversy upon release, and has spawned a generally queasy set of audience reactions. Many have responded with hatred towards the violent and unflinching nature of the film. My problem with it doesn't lie with the violence.

I can't connect to the first half of the film, which is mostly about regular foolish male behaviour while backpacking in central Europe. All of that becomes a long wait to see what awaits in the second half, and it provides very little buildup to what we'll eventually have to endure.

All of the violence in the film is harsh, personal and disturbing. It's not entertaining, but in a broader sense, pretty interesting. It makes you wonder about the world, and what dark places may exist where anything or anyone can be purchased for the right price.

This DVD contains some pretty good featurettes, and overall a really good set of extras, including one featurette which is almost entirely about the inspiration and reaction for the film, and how much of it is based in reality. Eli Roth is certainly an intelligent man, and he's out to tell a message, not only shock, but due to the harsh and stark nature of the film, it's hard to digest, and it's overall too uncomfortable to be really memorable. Maybe there's a little too much truth to Hostel.

I like a good thriller, but this is an abomination--an insult. I couldn't even get very far into it.

That's OK.

But then I see the director on a special feature in the recent release of a special addition of Hitchcock's "Psycho" where he describes how he was influenced by Hitchcock is aspects of this film.

Don't kid yourself. You have no talent as a film maker and this film is an insult to the memory of true artists and craftsman like Hitchcock.

You don't deserve to even clean Hitchcock's toilet.

I weep for the condition of the Hollywood film industry.