Hostel: Part II (Unrated Widescreen Edition) Reviews

As a sequel, this is pretty good. I like that it follows the people behind the torturing/killing more, gives you a bit more to the story for this second movie. A lot was predictable, but this sequel retained a lot of the same feel of the first movie.

What is the desired worth of a torture flick in today's world of PG-13 horror films and summer blockbusters? The first "Hostel" was a major success, in director Eli Roth's opinion, because it mirrored the violent atrocities of America (and other countries') involvement in the war in Iraq. To Mr. Roth, it acted as sort of a grisly wake-up call to sleeping audiences, and at that, it worked... sort of. So what did he have to say about "Hostel: Part II?" Simply this: it was meant to tap into the "guy next door" paranoia that runs rampant in the United States. He wanted to create the unshakeable feeling that even the most average of men could become cold-blooded killers. Did he succeed? Well, in essence, "Hostel: Part II" is more plot-driven than its gruesome predecessor, but it checks the character development at the door. Its strengths don't lie in the same areas the first film's did. Instead it works on levels previously unseen for the flourishing franchise.

I did appreciate Roth's focus on plot over hardened bloodshed as I feel it made this a better watch for admirers of the previous "Hostel." Sure, there's blood and guts (and torture) to spare, but I think what really sold "Hostel: Part II" to those that can find some beauty in it is the added back-story. The Elite Hunting corporation's "how-to's" on operation are quite interesting, and Roth approaches it like a true fan boy. We even get to see more of Paxton (Jay Hernandez), the survivor from the previous film, and how he's coping with those traumatic events. Indirectly, the way Roth approaches these elements makes the film feel more like a true sequel; a real continuation and deeper exploration of the mythology. The man knows his stuff.

It's just too bad, then, that the characters aren't as interesting as the plot. That's no fault of leads Lauren German, Bijou Phillips, and Heather Matarazzo, though. They all give their characters a fair shake. Roth's script is just so focused on the film's much-publicized "twist" and the refreshing back-story the picture spends most of its time on that interesting and believable characters obviously weren't on the menu. I will give credit where credit is due to Richard Burgi (Todd) and Roger Bart (Stuart), though, as the "American buyers." Their performances are rock solid and completely believable.

Some have also complained that Roth deleted most of the visual grit from this sequel and opted for an "artsier" look in comparison. The torture chambers are still putrid in look thanks to fantastic set design, but Roth is much more interested in crafting a more visually conventional picture this time around. He treats this movie like any other director would treat their project, not just as a horror director making another horror flick. The use of event foreshadowing, great slow-motion shots, beautiful montages and a fantastic sequence involving the saturation of color makes this some of Roth's most appealing (and mature) directing yet.

One of the biggest complaints about the theatrical cut of "Hostel: Part II" was that there wasn't enough gore. There was, in fact, more gore than the previous "Hostel," it just wasn't as abundant. This unrated director's cut of "Hostel: Part II" really doesn't add much to its 95 minute run time other than more wanton violence and gore, but I'm sure that's just fine with many horror fans. Nearly every gory set piece has had some kind of extra footage attached to it, including but not limited to Paxton's dream sequence, the "Ms. Bathory" sequence, and the sequence involving the unmentionable appendage getting clipped off.

I really did enjoy "Hostel: Part II," but it took me a few watches to truly grasp that. I liked the first for the gore, but I ended up enjoying this one for the fleshed out back-story on the Elite Hunting company, as well as for the subplot involving Burgi's and Bart's respective characters. With all of the fan boy love ad nauseam Roth injects here, this one IS strictly for the fans. But maybe Eli has something more on his hands than we've given him credit for thus far. Bring on "Hostel: Part III."