:
Miroslav Lhotka,
Jiri Firt,
Rene Hajek,
more...
:
Eli Roth,
Eli Roth
see all cast/crew...
: Not Rated
: Sony Pictures
: Horror, Slashers
: 94 min.
: English, French
: English, French
see additional details...
|
|
Cabin Fever director Eli Roth skips the humor of his freshman feature and goes straight for the jugular in this unrelenting scare-fest about a pair of libidinous American backpackers seeking cheap thrills in the European countryside. Their carefree college days close behind and the responsibility of the real world looming ever closer on the horizon, Josh (Derek Richardson) and Paxton (Jay Hernandez) strap on their backpacks and prepare for a stratospheric last hurrah of booze, babes, drugs, and debauchery halfway across the globe. It's during a visit to Amsterdam that the pair meets up with raucous Icelandic backpacker Oli (Eythor Gudjonsson), and after the three globe-trotting thrill seekers catch wind of a Slovakian city whose male population has dwindled as a result of civil strife -- leaving the ladies ready and willing to accept any male companionship that might turn up at the local hostel -- the trio quickly beats a hasty retreat to the out-of-the-way oasis. Upon check-in, the trio is greeted by a bevy of beautiful locals and is quickly convinced that the hedonistic hideaway is indeed the real deal. Hazily awakening the following morning to find no trace of backpacking buddy Oli, Paxton chalks his former traveling companion's disappearance up to capriciousness and prepares for another day of debauchery, despite Josh's rapidly elevating sense of unease. Now trapped defenselessly in a foreign land without any means of escape and no way of anticipating the unimaginable hell that lies ahead, the pair is plunged into a torturous netherworld where the screams of the damned fill the air with dread and the warm rays of the sun are little more than a fading memory. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
|
| *yawn*
by cammelltoe
January 11, 2007 - 3:04 PM PST
|
|
|
2 out of 2 members found this review helpful
|
| clever eli roth returns with "hostel" which, like "the passion of the christ", is neither controversial, bad, dangerous or even terribly original, despite what you may read in the papers or on some joker's blog. The movie does have some good gore effects and a few mutilating moments that may warrant eye-covering, but nothing in the league of backer Quentin Tarantino's ear-slicing in "reservoir dogs" or guest star Miike Takashi's sadistic subversiveness in "audition" or "ichi the killer". None of which matters anyway as the storytelling is slack and uninvolving. And as for political relevance, give me a break! any interest generated by the portrayal of up n'coming yuppie scum unilaterally drugging and fucking their way across the EU yields to a rambo like spree of righteous violence, nominally offset by some handwringing at the end. Amateur hour in indiewood. maybe next time. |
| Eli Roth proves he's here to stay with great storytelling
by BJaton
October 29, 2006 - 7:58 PM PST
|
|
|
2 out of 3 members found this review helpful
|
| No ifs ands or buts, this movie scared the shit out of me. Unlike his first feature, the incoherent and often hilarious "Cabin Fever", this is original, gross and taps into the horror of what if you were sold in a foreign country to be slaughtered. The concept is not like may others. Roth does a great job with shots and editing, leaving you caught off guard here and there without giving away too much. The first half is like a comedy with the second act going at a consisitent tense pace unfolding with inhumane conclusions. Don't watch if you're planning a trip to Eastern Europe sometime soon. Note: The actor playing the German Doctor cannot speak English and recited his lines from memory. |
| Hostile
by talltale
April 21, 2006 - 2:58 PM PDT
|
|
|
2 out of 7 members found this review helpful
|
HOSTEL wins the "ugly" award for the nastiest slasher/horror pic that ever aspired to (and seems to have achieved) mainstream status. Right up there with "Wolf Creek" in terms of just-plain-difficult-to-sit-through, it betters (if that's the right term) the Australian effort due to the grossness of the violence and sheer, over-the-top unpleasantness of concept. "Wolf Creek" contented itself with a single villain; "Hostel" appears to include an entire town (maybe the whole country). Full of holes and bits of black humor ("Wolf Creek" has none of the latter), by offering two dismal young Americans and one equally dismal Icelander as its "heroes," it does enable the audience not to care much what happens to any of them.
However you feel about the film (ugly as it is, we watched every minute), I think you'll agree that it's better than writer/director Eli Roth's earlier film, the dreadful "Cabin Fever." Lead Jay Hernandez has come far (but in which direction?) since his sweet turn in "Crazy/Beautiful," and while I understand that Americans demand happy endings, even WE should find this one unbelievable by any standard. |
|
| >> more reviews |
|
GreenCine Member Rating
(Average 5.71)
111 Votes
add to list 
|
|
|
Your cart
SStaub
cititzenzero
© 2006 All Media Guide, LLC. Portions of content provided by All Movie Guide®,
a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC.