Torture

So last night I watched Hostel: Part II and whilst it wasn't bad it was nothing really to write home about. That's why I'm writing about it here. The original Saw and Hostel movies were inventive and thrilling. They suceeded because there weren't any rules. The audience didn't know who was going to walk out of the thing alive. In particular the first Hostel movie didn't even seem to know what kind of film it was and it was awesome. For the first thirty minutes you think you're watching Euro Trip and then blam the chainsaws come out, there's some extreme gore and then by the final act its an all action chase movie, crazy stuff. By the time of the sequels they had become a genre unto themselves. That's why watching Hostel: Part II there is a sense of inevitability. The makers know this concept makes money, you can bet your ass they're going to leave some sort of get out clause for a sequel. Saw is pretty much a Halloween tradition by now. The second Hostel deserves some credit for trying to do something different from the original in concentrating on the killers but there's only a few scenes that seem to be filmed with the same demented glee that pervades all of the first film. There are some twists and turns that are mostly very telegraphed but when it comes to the final scene you've got to think that Eli Roth still must have it... Whatever it is.

Also, has anyone seen the trailer for 'Wild Child' that has been gracing UK TV screens recently. It makes some big claims 'The Best Teen Film of the Century'. Sure thing, everyone knows teenagers were only invented in the sixties so they haven't even been around for a century. The truly funny thing is all these completely ridiculous sound bites come from the same review from that titan of film criticism Sugar magazine. Personally I think movies like this should just be honest. Things like 'A way to waste an hour and a half', 'You might like it if you are a thirteen year old girl and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging is sold out' or 'If you sneak in you wont have to pay and then you can't be dissapointed.'

Peace

Steve