Hostel (2005)

Director:

Eli Roth

Writer (WGA):

Eli Roth (written by)

Release Date:

6 January 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Welcome To Your Worst Nightmare

Plot:

Three backpackers head to a Slovakian city that promises to meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.

Plot Keywords:

Psychopath | Gory | Dominatrix | Perverse | Foreigner

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Jay Hernandez	...	Paxton
Derek Richardson	...	Josh
Eythor Gudjonsson	...	Oli
Barbara Nedeljakova	...	Natalya
Jan Vlasák	...	The Dutch Businessman
Jana Kaderabkova	...	Svetlana
Jennifer Lim	...	Kana
Keiko Seiko	...	Yuki
Lubomir Bukovy	...	Alex
Jana Havlickova	...	Vala
Rick Hoffman	...	The American Client
Petr Janis	...	The German Surgeon
Takashi Miike	...	Miike Takashi
Patrik Zigo	...	Bubble Gum Gang Leader (as Zigo Patrik)
Milda Jedi Havlas	...	Desk Clerk Jedi

Runtime:

94 min | Philippines:93 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Czech | German | Dutch | Slovak | Japanese | Icelandic | Russian | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Belgium:KNT | Mexico:D | UK:18 | Malaysia:18SG (unrated DVD version) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R (certificate #42205) | Hong Kong:III | South Africa:16 | Australia:R | Brazil:18 | France:-16 (with warning) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:Not Rated (SPIO/JK) (extended version) | Sweden:15 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:16 | Japan:R-18 | Argentina:16 | Hungary:18 | Iceland:16 | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | Philippines:R-18 (MTRCB) | Portugal:M/18 | Germany:18 (nf) | New Zealand:R18 | Malaysia:(Banned) (theatrical) | Norway:18 (self applied) (with warning) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-18 | South Korea:Limited (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

Company:

Hostel LLC

Trivia:

"The American Businessman" (Rick Hoffman) almost gave himself a concussion and bruised his head with the butt of his gun while filming the scene where he decides how to murder his victim.

Goofs:

Continuity: The clock at the train station, where the suicide of the girl takes place, jumps between 1pm and 5pm.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Paxton: Amsterdam, motherfucker!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Cuenta atrás: Antiguo matadero de Navalafuente, 15:35 horas (#1.11)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Treti Galaxie

Good horror, non-existent story

I like a rip-roaring horror movie as much as the next guy, but this one just didn't do it for me. It certainly felt like it hit all the necessary marks, from nudity and dismemberment to bloody revenge, but at the conclusion, it just felt like eating cotton candy - no real nutritional value, just a sense that I had satisfied some of my prurient appetite without any logical payoff.

The movie was slow in getting started and then the sprinted to a singularly boggling ending. I walked out of the theater asking, "What was the point of all that?" And while this is described as horror, it really should be classified as thriller. There was no explanation or clever twist at the end. Just the end. I'm sure that it will attract an enthusiastic audience of young adults, but the evisceration by the critics will stem any hopes of huge box office.

If your expectations are low enough, and your tastes in gore sufficiently robust, then you are in for a good time. Otherwise, skip this and see a classic Hitchcock film. You'll feel better about yourself.