Common Sense Media Review
Extremely brutal, graphic horror movie has cursing, nudity.
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Why Age 18+?
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Hostel
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 26 parent reviews
Parents say this movie is not suitable for children due to its graphic violence, explicit sexual content, and disturbing themes that could lead to psychological harm. While some viewers appreciate the film's commentary on exploitation and its ability to evoke strong reactions, others criticize it for being excessively gory and lacking any redeemable qualities, viewing it as a waste of time.
- graphic violence
- adult content
- not suitable kids
- mixed reviews
- exploitation commentary
- psychological harm
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 37 kid reviews
What's the Story?
American backpackers Paxton (Jay Hernandez) and Josh (Derek Richardson) are traveling with their new friend Oli (Eythor Gudjonsson), each trying hard to impress the others with his capacity for partying. In Amsterdam, they're amazed by the availability of sex, marijuana, and hash, all of these indulgences featured in graphic imagery. The boys are thrilled to learn from the ultra-skeezy Alex (Lubomir Silhavecky) that a hostel in Slovakia promises even more loose girls and more potent drugs. They hop on a train tout de suite. Here they're forewarned of the mayhem to come when a fellow traveler, an older Dutchman (Jan Vlasák), makes an unwanted pass at Josh. Still, the boys' cockiness only escalates when they meet a few girls who do indeed seem enthralled with them, in particular Natalya (Barbara Nedeljáková) and Svetlana (Jana Kaderabkova). Soon enough, everyone is drunk and having sex, and one by one, the boys disappear. When he wakes up tied to a chair with a spastic German man whizzing a chainsaw over him, Paxton eventually pieces together that they have been kidnapped for use in torture rituals by wealthy customers who pay to abuse and kill pretty young tourists.
Is It Any Good?
HOSTEL is as brutal a film as you're likely to see; it's definitely NOT for kids. The fact that Paxton must pose as one of the clients, and, while wearing rubber aprons, endure a conversation with an anxious first-timer (Rick Hoffman), suggests the film's other agenda -- the one that's not just grossing out and repulsively titillating an audience familiar with gore conventions. Whether or not Paxton recognizes his own consumerist frenzy in this pompous, too-excited goon, you can hardly miss the mirror images of grasping for hedonistic experiences at the expense of "native" cultures and compliant objects.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the film's rudimentary moral lessons. What lessons is it trying to convey about backpacking through Europe or class disparities? Or consider the film's evocations of movie conventions and its appeals to genre connoisseurs (including homages to executive producer Quentin Tarantino). Are these images cynical responses to a violent world or incisive commentary on violence in media?
What do you think is the appeal of horror movies like these? Is it the physical responses of fear that graphic and grisly violence inspires in audiences? Is it dark humor? Or the spectacle of horrific and stomach-churning imagery normally not seen in movies, even horror movies?
What other horror movies have you seen? How does this one compare?
Movie Details
- In theaters : January 6, 2006
- On DVD or streaming : April 18, 2006
- Cast : Derek Richardson , Jay Hernandez , Jennifer Lim
- Director : Eli Roth
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 95 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : brutal scenes of torture and violence, strong sexual content, language and drug use.
- Last updated : September 21, 2019
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