Hostel

Year: 2005

Grade: B-

Country: USA

Director: Roth

Review

roth is a pretty decent horror director, but not quite worthy of some of the hype he has garnered. the first part of this film is basically just a more funny, more t & a filled, version of euro trip. the second half is the horror film. everything that is beautiful in the first half of the film (the women, the country, the freedom) turns ugly and twisted in the second. it has shades of an american werewolf in london, tarantino, and 70s horror flicks. i liked the title. it has two potential reads – “hostel”, the place where all the action begins; and “hostile”, as in “a hostile environment.” “saw” is another film with a great title. really, that film could only have one title. saw because the perpetrator saw everything and because of the hacksaw which figures prominently in the plot.