Hostel: Part II (2007) starring Lauren German, Roger Bart, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips, Richard Burgi, Vera Jordanova, Jay Hernandez, Milan Knazko directed by Eli Roth Movie Review

Hostel: Part II (2007)   2/52/52/52/52/5


Vera Jordanova and Lauren German in Hostel: Part II (2007)

Still Hostile

Since I reviewed Eli Roth's "Hostel" I have watched it again and whilst I didn't change my opinion of it I did appreciate what made it stand out. It was the unsettling idea that maybe there was such a thing as a kill club where wealthy men paid to have a chance to kill abducted tourists. The trouble is that why did the movie need a sequel, what could Roth do with that to make it feel different and not just a gratuitous movie for those who get off on the gore? The result is nothing as whilst "Hostel: Part II" surprisingly tones down the amount gore it replaces it with nothing to prevent it feeling like a sequel without a purpose other than to satisfy a certain audiences need for bloody violence.

"Hostel: Part II" picks up briefly where the first movie left off as we catch up with Paxton (Jay Hernandez) who having escaped is not only plagued by nightmares of what happened but the constant fear that they will come after him because of what he knows. Then it switches to three girls in Italy who meet an attractive model who persuades them to go to a hostel she knows in Slovakia. One of them, Beth (Lauren German), is cautious compared to her fun loving friend and the nerdish, innocent Lorna (Heather Matarazzo) especially with so many men taking an interest in them. At the same time we meet Americans Todd (Richard Burgi) and Stuart (Roger Bart) who have arrived having paid for the opportunity to kill a couple of these girls.

Heather Matarazzo in Hostel: Part II (2007)

So as I said, whilst I didn't like "Hostel" it did have an unsettling idea and it was the idea that maybe there was such a thing as an exclusive kill club which made it play on your mind. Unfortunately when it comes to the sequel it doesn't have a new idea but reworks the first movie with girls instead of boys. The switch in sex does absolutely nothing for you and doesn't make you feel any more sympathetic towards the characters for the simple reason they are slimly written.

What this means is that "Hostel: Part II" ends up feeling like a movie which is made for those who get off on bloody violence and gore it is ironic because of the amount of gore is toned down. Instead there is some attempt to create suspense but because we know what to expect and the fact we have shallow characters fails from the start. As for the gore, well whilst it feels that there is less it is no less intense and what there is feels more gratuitous than ever. And as for the whole subplot of the two men having arrived to kill but feeling tentative about doing so, well that is simply a wasted opportunity.

What this all boils down to is that "Hostel: Part II" is as disappointing if not more disappointing than the first movie. That shock of maybe which the first movie introduced is lacking from the sequel and in between sporadic moments of bloody violence it has nothing new to offer, except for those who get off on this sort of violence.


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