Hostel: Part II (R)

Gory torture bloodbath checks in for another stay.

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Common Sense rates it
2
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Lions Gate Entertainment, Lions Gate Entertainment
  • Directed By: Eli Roth
  • Cast: Heather Matarazzo, Lauren German, Roger Bart
  • Running Time: 96 minutes
  • Release Date: 06/08/2007
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 10/23/2007
  • Genre: Horror
  • MPAA Rating: R
  • MPAA Explanation: sadistic scenes of torture and bloody violence, terror, nudity, sexual content, language and some drug content.

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this gruesome horror sequel absolutely isn't for kids, even though splatter-loving teens may well want to see it. The movie is full of non-stop images of graphic, bloody deaths. A naked girl is hung upside down and sliced until her blood creates a shower on her murderer (also a nude woman), a man is dissected alive and cannibalized, and other victims are subjected to decapitation, castration, vicious dog attacks, and more. Characters also swear, smoke, drink, and do drugs -- and there are hints of lesbianism -- but all of that plays second fiddle to the grisly torture scenes.

Families can talk about the appeal of extreme gore. Why do you think "torture" horror movies are so popular now? Is the movie making any kind of statement about violence in media? If so, what is it? Families can also discuss the murderers' motivation -- namely, to fulfill their own selfish fantasies. Is human nature really that depraved? Does the character who survives become as bad as the killers? Why or why not?

Message

Social Behavior:

A montage of a "bidding war" for victims reveals that the movie's sadistic secret society has a diverse, affluent international clientele. But there's still a sense that the old-world Eastern European setting and culture somehow brings out traits that are wicked and deadly. A character who escapes may or may not be stained with the murderous spirit.

Consumerism:

Clothing-product labels, liquor brands, and an iPod are most prominent.

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Characters frequently smoke, drink, or go looking for drugs. One snorts cocaine.

Violence

Gruesome, bloody torture gore. Weapons/implements include power saw, blades, a filthy hypodermic needle, a blowtorch, and dissecting tools. Two decapitations, followed by close ups of the oozing neck stump. A trophy room of severed heads, and a close up of a corpse savaged by dogs. One of the few times the camera turns away is when one character shoots a child to death.

Sex

Both male and female nudity, though there's a lot more of the latter than the former (that said, a tortured/severed penis is a prominent prop). Sex is more talk than action here, but there are lesbian overtones.

Language

Strong, frequent profanity includes "f--k" and "c--t."

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Charles Cassady, Jr.

In the first Hostel, an cheap European inn turns into a death trap for a group of college-age wayfarers when they’re kidnapped, taken to a grim factory, and sadistically slaughtered by wealthy customers. At the beginning of Part II, Hostel's sole escapee is eliminated by the secret society, whose evil influence turns out to reach worldwide. Their wealthy clients, ensconced in cushy skyscraper offices and corporate boardrooms, bid via Internet and PDA on who gets to have the choicest kill, then fly over to Slovakia to do it. While the first movie's victims were primarily American college guys looking for easy drugs and sex, the sequel’s premium prey consists of three female American art students. Wealthy, smart Beth (Lauren German); bookish Lorna (Heather Matarazzo); and party-girl Whitney (Bijou Phillips) are enticed by a slinky European model friend to the familiar Slovakian hostel and a colorful-yet-creepy ethnic festival. Viewers also meet the two American clients who paid to kill the girls: Todd (Richard Burgi), a boisterous, macho clod who can hardly wait to spill blood, and Stuart (Roger Bart), who's more hesitant and uncertain. Hostel barely gave viewers any details about the ordinary-looking sadists patronizing the place, but here Todd speaks eagerly of committing murder as a sort of rite of passage -- it proves that you've got the proverbial eye of the tiger, that you're superior person. He compares taking a life with having sex for the first time.

Is it any good?

2
There's a (feeble) argument to be made that HOSTEL: PART II is a "better" film than the original gore-torture hit. What's "better" about this equally sadistic sequel? This time around, the target audience (the sort of fans who instantly recognize the names of Italian gore-movie icons of the '70s in the supporting cast) are already in on the grisly secret. So rather than waste time going through the motions again, director Eli Roth uses Hostel: Part II to address -- a little bit -- the philosophical rationale for the factory and the working operations of the secret society of murderers that maintains it. But there are still gallons of blood and nonstop ghastly violence -- so viewers who thought the first film was an atrocity won't see many redeeming qualities here, either.

When a nude woman takes a blood shower under the spurting, suspended body of a dying victim, viewers will probably be too grossed out to do much thinking, but on a certain level, these Hostel movies do have a grim message: proposing that human nature really is this dark and depraved. (Stuart, having second thoughts en route to the factory, asks "Are we sick?" Todd responds "We're the normal ones!") Eastern Europe -- with its history full of wars, genocide, and Grimm fairy tales -- is portrayed as a place where recreational torture and death can become a profitable business. The factory, with its snarling dogs and gates, recalls imagery from Holocaust movies like Schindler's List. The American girls are somewhat more gracious visitors than the first film's sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll Yankee guys, but the message seems similar, and more than a little xenophobic: "These foreigners and their ways are different. Staying home is safer."

Related Video

Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 11 reviews.

5


Posted on 05/18/08 by alec_smithers Adult contributor

THIS IS THE GORIEST MOVIE IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This movie is like disturbing porn. Picture a totally naked girl getting hung upside down and getting knifes stabbed through her body and her throat getting sliced open. While shes screaming. Me and my friends were watching this at one of their houses and we were screaming one of us almost fainted, we were laughing though at some parts because it was so bad!
5


Posted on 05/11/08 by shes_elektrik Kid contributor, age 17

Tame in Comparison.

I must admit, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. But, the constant buzz about the content of the movie is really beginning to get annoying. Has anyone ever looked at a staged snuff film or looked at Asian horror, such as Audition where no bars are held when it comes to violence? I think that a lot of parents would never let their kids see this film and that's understandable. However, I'm sick of reading about how outraged parents are at this movie. Why not go to Blockbuster and pick yourself up a copy of "August Underground" and we'll see how many people complain about Hostel.
2


Posted on 03/24/08 by ehh108 Kid contributor, age 15

Bloody as heck

I missed the beginning of this movie, but saw enough to say that this is probably the most violent movie I've ever seen. I have to admit, I was engaged while watching the movie, but had to look away at some parts. The movie's final shot is of a decapitated body spurting blood from the neck while children play soccer with the head. Any young kids who see this will probably be scarred for life.
0


Posted on 10/31/07 by TVDirector Adult contributor

Again? Where was the ratings board?

Be forewarned that while this film should easily have received an NC-17 for the version screened in U.S. theatres, the DVD is being released "unrated" and this version would have been. It's important to understand the semantics . . . this version would easily have been over the top for an R rating, even for the MPAA which is really nothing more than a marketing platform for the major studios. If the film is "unrated", major retail chains will carry it, but with the NC-17 attached, most big box retailers won't touch it, equating it with porn, so this is how studios are getting around this. (This same issue is occuring with the videogame Manhunt 2.) You'd like to think they'd be smarter than that . . . they aren't, but you should be. This is nothing more than torture porn.
3


Posted on 10/28/07 by SMSx523 Kid contributor, age 14

Not As Bad as I Thought............

Honestly before I saw this movie, I thought it would be over the top gore. After I saw it I was "pleasantly" shocked when it was more mild than I had thought. With this being said the special effects were pretty realistic, and there was an actually understandable story line.
0


Posted on 10/20/07 by spycaper51 Kid contributor, age 12

...wow

youd have to be a redneck on crack to even like this movie
4


Posted on 08/15/07 by ac7193 Kid contributor, age 13

A cool gruesome movie

This film is one of the coolest horror movies ever!The first one was really stuck to your seat kinda movie. This one has a lot of gore and blood. But, Yes I think parents should think about who they're taking to see it especially their child.Thank You for your time
0


Posted on 06/24/07 by undo Kid contributor, age 9

This movie should not be seen by any kid of any age.

This movie is terrorfying and has alot of bad things that should not be seen by kids or teens.
2


Posted on 06/18/07 by roni777 Adult contributor

i was nauseous

it was very groody , it starts to make you wonder what else the director is capable of doing if he can direct a movie like this, can he also direct a killing?
0


Posted on 06/16/07 by kerry Kid contributor, age 16

See all 11 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 3 reviews.

5


Posted on 05/18/08 by alec_smithers Adult contributor

THIS IS THE GORIEST MOVIE IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This movie is like disturbing porn. Picture a totally naked girl getting hung upside down and getting knifes stabbed through her body and her throat getting sliced open. While shes screaming. Me and my friends were watching this at one of their houses and we were screaming one of us almost fainted, we were laughing though at some parts because it was so bad!
0


Posted on 10/31/07 by TVDirector Adult contributor

Again? Where was the ratings board?

Be forewarned that while this film should easily have received an NC-17 for the version screened in U.S. theatres, the DVD is being released "unrated" and this version would have been. It's important to understand the semantics . . . this version would easily have been over the top for an R rating, even for the MPAA which is really nothing more than a marketing platform for the major studios. If the film is "unrated", major retail chains will carry it, but with the NC-17 attached, most big box retailers won't touch it, equating it with porn, so this is how studios are getting around this. (This same issue is occuring with the videogame Manhunt 2.) You'd like to think they'd be smarter than that . . . they aren't, but you should be. This is nothing more than torture porn.
2


Posted on 06/18/07 by roni777 Adult contributor

i was nauseous

it was very groody , it starts to make you wonder what else the director is capable of doing if he can direct a movie like this, can he also direct a killing?

Kids Reviews

There are 8 reviews.

5


Posted on 05/11/08 by shes_elektrik Kid contributor, age 17

Tame in Comparison.

I must admit, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. But, the constant buzz about the content of the movie is really beginning to get annoying. Has anyone ever looked at a staged snuff film or looked at Asian horror, such as Audition where no bars are held when it comes to violence? I think that a lot of parents would never let their kids see this film and that's understandable. However, I'm sick of reading about how outraged parents are at this movie. Why not go to Blockbuster and pick yourself up a copy of "August Underground" and we'll see how many people complain about Hostel.
2


Posted on 03/24/08 by ehh108 Kid contributor, age 15

Bloody as heck

I missed the beginning of this movie, but saw enough to say that this is probably the most violent movie I've ever seen. I have to admit, I was engaged while watching the movie, but had to look away at some parts. The movie's final shot is of a decapitated body spurting blood from the neck while children play soccer with the head. Any young kids who see this will probably be scarred for life.
3


Posted on 10/28/07 by SMSx523 Kid contributor, age 14

Not As Bad as I Thought............

Honestly before I saw this movie, I thought it would be over the top gore. After I saw it I was "pleasantly" shocked when it was more mild than I had thought. With this being said the special effects were pretty realistic, and there was an actually understandable story line.
0


Posted on 10/20/07 by spycaper51 Kid contributor, age 12

...wow

youd have to be a redneck on crack to even like this movie
4


Posted on 08/15/07 by ac7193 Kid contributor, age 13

A cool gruesome movie

This film is one of the coolest horror movies ever!The first one was really stuck to your seat kinda movie. This one has a lot of gore and blood. But, Yes I think parents should think about who they're taking to see it especially their child.Thank You for your time
0


Posted on 06/24/07 by undo Kid contributor, age 9

This movie should not be seen by any kid of any age.

This movie is terrorfying and has alot of bad things that should not be seen by kids or teens.
0


Posted on 06/16/07 by kerry Kid contributor, age 16
5


Posted on 06/15/07 by Horror Movie Freak Kid contributor, age 9
See all 8 kids reviews >
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