| Director Eli Roth’s Hostel was a low budget | | | | do the outlandish and ultimate things with his best |
| wonderkind in which audiences were assaulted and | | | | friend Todd, has reservations about what they |
| shocked yet not repulsed by the sheer villainy of | | | | are planning to do when they get to Slovokia. |
| everyone in the film. There was little in the way | | | | Beth, although also open to the ultimate |
| of likable characters which was okay since they | | | | possibilities, is nowhere near as outgoing or |
| came off as more flawed thus more human than | | | | carefree as her best friend Whitney nor as timid |
| most of the other “stock” characters | | | | and introverted as Lorna. She is the happy |
| offered in horror films at the time. Although the | | | | medium between the two. In order to get to |
| film had as many detractors as admirers, the film | | | | know Beth you have to compare and contrast |
| was on par with other such controversial classics | | | | her with her two friends, which is the same that |
| as I Spit On Your Grave or Last House on the | | | | can be sad for Stuart and Todd. In a normal, less |
| Left and like those films Hostel was a mixed | | | | ambitious genre film these supporting characters |
| blessing of a sophomoric film. | | | | could all be easily dismissed but Roth goes even |
| The same cannot be said of Roth’s sequel | | | | further by developing as well. Lorna goes through |
| Hostel: Part II which takes some of the elements | | | | a profound character metamorphosis from the |
| from the first film that were right and expand on | | | | timid closed off school girl to the open minded |
| them even more. This is a film that truly shows | | | | extravert mostly displayed by Whitney. Todd |
| how far Roth has become as a filmmaker and | | | | starts off the hard-core killing machine until what |
| storyteller (kind of like Rom Zombie’s vast | | | | he dreams the experience of killing someone for |
| improvement from dreaded House of 1000 | | | | fun results in a life altering experience the |
| Corpses to The Devil’s Rejects). With Part II | | | | opposite of what he wanted. |
| Roth delves more into comparing and contrasting | | | | Roth doesn’t stop at just developing great |
| the group of females who are about to become | | | | characters, Part II also has much more elaborate |
| victims – Beth, Lorna, and Whitney (Lauren | | | | death sequences and more gore that will easily |
| German, Heather Matarazzo, and Bijou Phillips, | | | | please any red-blooded fan. I dare anyone not to |
| respectfully) to that of the torturers – Todd | | | | appreciate and bask in the sheer horror and |
| and Stuart (Richard Burgi and Roger Bart, | | | | beauty of the Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory |
| respectfully). This is no where more apparent | | | | inspired death scene. Roth has added style to the |
| then when Stuart and Beth inadvertently meet at | | | | proceedings, which were not on display in any of |
| an outdoor party in Slovakia and they discover | | | | his previous films (not to so that they were any |
| they have a lot more in common then what | | | | less good). The production design by Robb Wilson |
| Stuart originally would have thought. There is | | | | King and art direction of David Baxa (who returns |
| even the slight hint that had circumstances been | | | | from the first film) are vast improvements over |
| different that these two probably could’ve | | | | the original film. In a age of inferior sequels – |
| been friends if nothing more. | | | | i.e. The Hills Have Eyes 2, Texas Chainsaw |
| Both Best and Stuart go through the most | | | | Massacre: The Beginning, The Grudge 2, or The |
| profound character changes throughout the film. | | | | Ring Two, it’s good to know that Roth is one |
| At the beginning of the film they are both coming | | | | filmmaker not riding the coattails of the previous |
| from a similar place in that Stuart, who wants to | | | | film. |