Hostel: Part II (2007)

For anyone with a real objective taste in movies, including those based on terror, would know after watching hostel part 2 that it is way better than the first installment. Hostel 2 not only a better ending than the typical horror (is it really over) ending of part 1 but it also has a more consistent story line, better acting, descent lead character development and interesting plot twist. I would highly recommend this film to any fans of the handful of truly good horror/thriller movies out there such as (Saw1 and the Ring). If you watched hostel 1 and thought it was an over rated farce of a movie like I did, then watch part 2, you wont be disappointed.

Fmovies: It's strange that the critics who are giving this movie bad reviews aren't even giving an argument. They're simply saying it's "crud" and "torture porn." They are complaining that there is too much violence, while fans complain that there isn't enough. I strongly believe that this film deserves more credit than it's receiving. I also read a user comment on IMDb that said this film had the worst cast ever. That almost makes me think that the person did not see the movie.

The cast was the strongest aspect of the movie. German, Phillips, and Matarazzo were pretty damn perfect for their roles. They are the three leads, but the core of the film is the duo of Richard Burgi and Roger Bart. I knew they both looked kind of creepy but I had no idea they could act so well. Lionsgate did a very good thing by not pressuring Eli Roth into casting huge stars. I can honestly say that Burgi and Bart give the best performances in any horror movie I've seen in a long time. I also love how Roth wrote their characters. They were very real and believable because they're not just evil villains, they are family men. I thought I knew exactly where the characters were going, but Roth was successful in surprising me. I found it very entertaining to watch these two characters unravel. In addition to the main characters, the many offbeat minor characters were freaking amazing. I'm not certain at the moment who was in charge of casting, but to whoever was, I salute you. There are countless new characters with great faces, as well as the return of the desk clerk, who is surprisingly menacing. Roth also knows that he owes a lot to Italian cinema from the 70s and 80s. He's cast two famous actors from that period, as well as the director of the most infamous movie of all time. Their cameos were very (for lack of a much better word) good. I also have to mention the bubblegum gang. This time, the kids are interwoven nicely into the narrative. Their scenes were comedic but also had genuine emotional impact.

It is easy to notice that the photography, editing, and set designs of this film are much improved from the original. Unlike in the Saw films, the viewer is not distracted by these elements. Instead, the experience is enhanced. I was quite impressed.

I respect Roth much more as a filmmaker after this movie. There are several awesome montages, which I'm always a sucker for. He also constantly builds up our expectations (and, based on his other movies, we think everything will go according to plan) only to shatter them and fulfill in them in another way. This, in my opinion, is the way to go because it's both surprising and satisfying.

All in all, this movie offers SO much more than most horror sequels. Saw II, even though it was very successful, went in the direction of most horror sequels, focusing more and more on the killings instead of the people involved. Hostel Part II does the opposite, similar to Kill Bill. Fans may be disappointed that the torture scenes are shorter than in the first, but I think Roth handles the material wisely in most instances. And, yes, the girls' story is almost a mirror image of the boys' in the original, but it all feels fresh since we get to watch their journey knowing what's happening every step of the way.

The introduction with Jay Hernandez is one of the only things feels like something that's done in a lot of sequels. He should have been given more to do. It wouldn't have been necessary, but it would

Apparently, Director Eli Roth has a fetish for "snuff." If fact, in a documentary I watched on the subject recently, Roth is interviewed and becomes visibly "giddy" when he comments on the realism of "Cannibal Holocaust." It is no small wonder that he developed the idea for, and directed the two Hostel films. I don't see that as an admirable quality, but then... I am old school and still believe the best horror isn't in-your-face-gore. I realize I am in the minority these days.

The first "Hostel" was not a great film. It was, in fact, not very good, but what it did have was an intriguing premise: a club whose wealthy members pay to torture and murder abducted people. What worked was that such an idea was not entirely inconceivable. I would argue that such clubs, just like "snuff" films, currently exist, and that was what made the film interestingly creepy for me.

Hostel Part 2, however, offers nothing original. Instead, it robs from various horror films of old. For example, the opening scene mirrors that of Friday The 13th Part 2. In another scene, as I watched a female club-member bathing in the blood of her "purchase", I couldn't decide which vampire film the scene reminded me of most, there are so many. It was at the ending that I actually let a laugh slip. The foiled attempt at irony was followed by a scene reminiscent of "Blood Sucking Freaks". "Hostel" provided solid potential for a redeeming sequel, but instead, "Hostel Part 2" ended up being nothing more than a compilation of already tried and over used gimmicks.

Hostel: Part II fmovies. OK, I know people are just going to hate my review after seeing that title, I have a feeling people are going to give this movie a harsh rating just because it is a sequel to Hostel. I know there are not that many fans to the first film, I understand somewhat, it's not for the faint of heart and the first half is like a soft core porno, not to mention the blood and gore that's involved. But I think somewhere down the line it will be a classic cult film. Now for the sequel, I thought, despite a few flaws here and there, I thought it was just as good, maybe even BETTER than the first. Not the most shocking ending I've ever seen either, but it was a good one.

Well, the tables have turned, now we have 3 American girls who are the target of this blood hound club's addiction to torture and death. Two brothers are in this together, one isn't quite sure if he could do it, one is psyched out. One of the girls is a bit naive, one is a total slut, and one is the calm and collected one. But when they are taken by the same people as in the first film falling into the same trap, they soon realize the massive trouble they're in. But I think one of the girls has heard the term "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" a little too much when she realizes what she's in for.

There are some massive gory scenes, a warning in advance. I thought that they kinda took an idea, if you ever heard this woman from history, they called her "Countess Blood", I believe, look her up if you do not know what I'm talking about, because there is a scene that is very much like that in Hostel 2. I would only recommend this for fans of the first Hostel, or if you have an open mind, it's not for the faint of heart. It's very gory and very disturbing, but it's a great horror flick with a great ending!

8/10

In Rome, the wealthy Beth (Lauren German) and her college friends Whitney (Bijou Phillips) and Lorna (Heather Matarazzo) decide to travel to Prague to spend a couple of spare days. In the train, they meet the model Axelle (Vera Jordanova) after an incident with rude natives of Prague and their acquaintance convinces them to take a detour to the beautiful Slovakia and lodge in a hostel. While partying in the village, they are lured and offered in an international auction to sadistic members of the Elite Hunting under a contract that does not allow leaving the torture chamber in a hidden facility alive.

"Hostel – Part II" is a good sequel of "Hostel", disclosing the fate of backpacker Paxton that escaped alive from the facility in Bratislava, Slovakia, of the first movie and then following the tragic tour of three American friends. The story is quite similar to the first one, except the great twist in the last five minutes with the action and revenge of the clever and rich Beth. This violent and gore movie is recommended only for fans of the genre, and those that liked the first "Hostel" will certainly appreciate this sequel. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Albergue – Parte 2" ("The Hostel – Part 2")