Into the Blu

Hostel - Part II

Posted on 09. Sep, 2008 by Gino Sassani in 1080p, 2.35:1, AVC MPEG-4, Dolby Digital 5.1 (Italian), Dolby Digital 5.1 (Spanish), Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (English), Horror, Lionsgate, Reviews

I have to give Eli Roth some deserved credit here. With the success of his disturbing Hostel, there must have been an incredible temptation to deliver merely more of the same and be content with raking in the millions without actually having to work for it. Money For Nothing, as the song goes. The risk here is that the frenzied fans of the original would leave this film somewhat disappointed, as I imagine many were. That’s not to say that Hostel Part II doesn’t contain some very Hostel-like moments of torture and gore, but it’s safe to say this film is not nearly as gratuitous as the first. Instead Roth decided to bring us a far more developed story this time around. We get far more insight into the Club and how it works. We actually get to know two of the members in some detail. Putting more developed faces on that end of the spectrum really makes this, in the end, a far more frightening film. The Club is no longer an enigmatic and unlikely group of aberrant sickos the likes of which most of us can feel safe enough that we will never meet. Now these people are the average Joe next door, albeit with more walking around money than most of us will ever see. We also get a more detailed look into the selection process and bidding on the victims. All of this only strengthens the film, unless of course you’re just in it for the blood. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

For starters we get three female victims this time instead of guys. I know exactly what you’re thinking. That means more nudity and maybe some kinky kills. That would be the easy way out. Instead Roth avoids falling into the strictly gore porn trap and fleshes out these characters by actually showing less flesh. How’s that for going against type. We get to know these girls more through their performances as actors than their acrobatics. Once inside the Club there appears to be less blood and guts as well. There is really only one memorable torture kill before the climax. The first of the girls is hung upside down over a tub, of sorts. Another woman lies underneath and cuts our hapless victim, ultimately bathing in her blood. Unfortunately from there the film remains quite tame until the climactic twist. The ending is clever in its result but brutal in its depiction. The last thing a guy wants to see is a graphic castration. So, what promised to be the ultimate guy film turns out to be far more female friendly than you would expect.

Hostel Part II takes some time to rap up the events of the first film before embarking on a new adventure. Paxton (Hernandez), the surviving member of the first film, is recovering from his wounds. He’s having nightmares and is in hiding with his girlfriend at her grandmother’s house. The stress of his experience is driving him crazy, and let’s just say he loses his head over the entire affair. Next we meet 3 co-eds in Rome on a train, Lorna (Matarazzo), Beth (German), and Whitney (Phillips). They are tired of being harassed and want a nice quiet time together. They meet Axelle (Jordanova) who promises them exactly that at a spa. At the spa things quickly go wrong as each of them are kidnapped and taken to The Hunting Club, where their pictures have been entered into auction for the chance to torture and kill them. Two brothers win two of the girls and are amping themselves up for the experience. Stuart is excited, but Todd is a little nervous about the festivities. The rest of the film, of course, covers the activities inside the Club.

Another huge surprise here is that there is some rather good acting in this film. Czech actor Milan Knazko plays Sasha, the executive of The Club. Without saying much, he’s a menacing character with an almost aristocratic demeanor. You can’t help but see some Hannibal Lecter in him. Richard Burgi and Roger Bart play brothers Todd and Stuart. These are your average guys next door who bid on torturing and killing the girls. They offer a little comic relief, but more importantly a frightening more realistic perspective to the entire film. Through these characters Roth takes the time to linger on the moral aspects of the film as well as give us a closer look at the Club’s inner workings. Their journey is a highlight of the movie. The Bubblegum Gang returns as well, for a nice homage to the first film. Finally Roth works in cameos for some of his favorite European film figures. Nice little scenes appear for the likes of: Edwige Fenech, Ruggero Deodato, and Luc Merenda. You’ve got to admire the respect Roth has for those who came before him.

Video

Hostel Part II is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer accurately represents the dark and gritty nature of the film. You get a pretty solid AVC/MPEG-4 codec in full 1080p. The bit rate averages a modest 25 mbps. I was a little disappointed in the lack of solid shadow depth and detail. For such a dark film, there is a remarkable averageness to the overall black levels. Perhaps the film’s own style is as much to blame, but I don’t believe it was ever Roth’s intent to lose as much image clarity in these dark settings. Details get lost quickly, so a couple of the torture scenes fail in their effect because so much is shrouded in grain and grit. In good lighting, detail actually pops pretty well. Flesh tones are a bit on the bright side in these moments. This isn’t the kind of film where I would expect such oversaturation in good lighting.

Audio

The Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio delivers far better than the image. The mix isn’t particularly aggressive, but ambient sounds are certainly used to full effect. Once inside the torture chambers, you can’t help but get creeped out by those subtle drips or other far more sinister sounds. These clever intrusions are effective without having to be overbearing. We’re talking an awesome average 4.5 mbps, often reaching over 5. The sub delivers powerful accompaniment to the saws and screams. Dialog is just fine and placed where it should be. I don’t think you can realistically ask for any more from a soundtrack.

There are 3, count them 3, Audio Commentary tracks to be found on this disc. I’m going to be honest with you. I did not listen to all of them all of the way through. I took a pass of the film skipping back and forth between them. The first features Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino, and Gabe Roth. If you’re sensitive to foul language, what in the hell are you thinking about watching a Hostel film for? Anyway, if that’s you, this is not the track for you, but it can be rather humorous. Next up is Eli Roth, Richard Burgi, Lauren German, and Vera Jordanova. This is the best of the tracks, and I found myself here most of the time. You get plenty of insight plus a lot of the actors cutting up about the film. Finally Eli Roth goes solo for a decidedly deeper look at making the film, strictly for the film students.

Special Features

Hostel Part II – The Next Level: At just under a half hour this is an extremely casual look behind the scenes of the picture. I like that it doesn’t feel staged or hyped. Cast and crew just talk easily, while the footage is more candid than produced.

The Art Of KNB Effects: F/X vet Gregory Nicoterro heads the F/X house that literally was the guts of both films. Here’s a look at some how did they do that stuff. This one runs a very short 6 minutes and leaves you wanting more.

Production Design: Another very casual exploration of some of the film’s sets including the train, torture chambers, and the Harvest Festival. It’s just under 7 minutes and worth the short trip.

Hostel Part II – A Legacy Of Torture: It turns out that the Roth family includes a psychologist and a painter with an in-depth knowledge of art history. The 24 minute piece examines torture in art throughout the ages. The film also takes you inside a museum dedicated to such devices. You get to meet some of history’s most famous torture mechanisms. As a teacher I used to take our kids to Medieval Times each year on a class trip. Without fail the torture chamber was always the hot destination for the high schoolers. It’s no wonder these films do so well when you consider our utter fascination with torture.

Deleted Scenes: There is no play all option that I could find. There is a text intro with each one to describe the scene and why it was cut. Unfortunately you have to sit through 10 seconds of copyright info after EVERY scene. I’ll pass.

The Treatment – Radio Interview With Eli Roth: You’ve heard it all before, and this static half hour screen isn’t good for some kinds of monitors.

Blood And Guts Gag Reel: For a film like Hostel, the term gag reel could have an entirely different meaning. Nope. Here it’s the standard silliness and goofs.

Surveillance Cameras: There is a collection of 8 monitors you can select from a security panel. The bits run for 7 minutes on a loop and you can select from the views as often as you like.

Final Thoughts

If you like this sort of thing, I’m sure you will enjoy this second entry into the world of Eli Roth’s Hostel. It won’t be as bloody as you are expecting, but if you give it half a chance I think you might like the evolution of the extreme slasher or gore porn genre. Like any fad, this form of horror film must evolve if it’s to last beyond the early splashes. I think Roth has taken a positive step with Hostel Part II. This isn’t a masterpiece but it has taken this fledgling genre “to the next level”.