his analysis was totally shallow and simplistic. There is a lot to the movie and it reflects reality but on a much diluted level as the reality of organized slavery, oppression, sadism and murder in the world is much worse.
you're right about the accent (I think I wanted to tie it in with the Cowell comparison so I apologize for exaggerating there). Since I posted that comment I did hear some of his positive reviews but still he's too preachy and "in your face" for my liking. Just like I cringe listening to cheesy tabloids raving about a movie I also cringe when someone plays the "realist and cut the crap" character... But like I said, it's personal taste. If someone else likes him then good for them.
Yes he totally misrepresented the movie...it was actually far more of a narrative movie than I expected. I had in fact avoided the movie deliberately for years as I just expected it was mindless gore and torture porn...when in fact those scenes were the minority of the movie. But his whole analysis is shallow, as the real world is in fact full of things very similar and in fact much worse than this.
when i first watched it, i thought after it was completely violent nonsense, but then I took a step back and looked at it from a filmmaking point of view and thought it was a very well made film with incredibily tense sequences. However, I probably won't watch it again lol.
The Rick Hoffmann scene sold this film for me. The disturbing thing is that we have all met people with that same attitude and mannerism and it makes you wonder if this is what these people would do if they could get away with it. Also, it asks questions about the consequences of having bored, sociopathic people who have a lot of money. We know there are people capable of paying big money for the pleasure of raping minors so the scenario in Hostel doesn't feel far fetched at all to me. The ending of the movie was also very bleak and gave be the same empty feeling that I had after watching Grizzly Man or videos of tsunami victims being swept away by the waves. You compared Hostel unfavorably to Martyrs which I didn't find as having more of a message than Hostel did. Also, I thought the torture in Hostel felt worse since Martyrs mostly had the same predictable scenario repeated (the same man hitting the same woman with his fists). Once Martyrs got more explicit at the very end it was too over the top that it just took me out of the movie and I felt I was watching a special effect.
In fact - get any of the August Underground trilogy. August Underground August Underground's Mordum August Underground's Penance Mordum is the worst as far as I'm concerned, but they're all BEYOND fucked up! Take your pick. Although if you're the kind of person who though Hostel was bad then i cannot be held accountable for your reaction. If you pass out, vomit, have yourself commited or call the police (both as a result of trauma). Then don't blame me. I am simply an educator. Happy hunting
Sorry - meant to do that in a list. August Underground August Underground's Mordum August Underground's Penance Mordum's the worst, like i say, but feel free to start at the beginning and work thriough them all. Go on... Seriously... Try it!
The whole torture porn genre tends to be rubbish, but I think this is one at the top of the pile. Its not brilliant, but its head and shoulders above muck like Saw.
That's because it's mainly the negative reviews that make their way onto youtube. Check out his review of A History of Violence. Also, how is that a posh accent? It's just a standard southern accent.
You think that's a Cockney accent? You must not have heard many cockneys. Anyway, the cockney accent is from London, which is in... the south of England...
I usually like or at least respect Kermode"s reviews even when I do not agree but I think he is completely off the mark on this one. He dismisses Hostel as a cheap empty popcorn and vomit movie that exploits nothing but the obvious fear of bodily harm but I think it's more about the idea of brutal cruelty as entertainment for the decadent (as opposed to the deranged) a very frightening, disturbing and unfortunately realistic proposition that has stayed with me long after my viewing it.
His analysis was totally shallow and inaccurate, it was illiterate even. I have zero interest in gore fests and torture porn movies...ANd this movie (and the sequel) was NOT that at all...in fact the soft porn scenes were more excessive than the actual brutality and murder. The sad reality that he is unwilling to face is that the movie is in fact a pale reflection of the reality of murder, torture, oppression, sadism in society which is much worse. Elites orchestrating wars that result in mass murder, mass murder and butchering of unborn babies, a massive violent sex trafficking global industry, elite paedophile and sex abuse rings, snuff videos and all sorts of oppression conducted by elites, governments as well as lower tier criminals and organized crime.
Mordum is way overhyped. Disgusting? yes. Disturbing? not so much. Try A Serbian film, Martyrs. Even an oldie like Salo is way more disturbing than August Underground trilogy
***** its about cultural imperialism, and the way that the privileged exploit the vulnerable. Its basically a retelling of the hangover part 2 from a different perspective...
The film was about three horny guys who while backpacking through Europe get lured by a couple of beauties who after humping them get tortured and/or have to try and get out of their predicament. There was nothing clever about it. It felt like an eternity before it truly started get anywhere and when it was like, so what? The second while not much better at least felt as if it got where it was going much quicker and didn't drag itself out more than it needed to. A lousy film that's just nasty rather than genuinely riveting or suspenseful. The only but where I became somewhat interested when the "hero" at nearer the end runs over the two girls with the car before making his way to the train station.
Robert McElwaine let me guess... are you one of those people who thought batman and superman became friends purely because their mothers had the same name?
If you think Hostel is really sick and disgusting you're obviously a complete light-weight in the horror movie arena. 1. August Underground's Mordum 2. Grotesque 3. Murder-Set-Pieces 4. A Serbian Film Get the uncut (or unrated in some cases) versions of these, go away, watch them, then come back and tell me if you still think Hostel is as sick as you think it is.... ....Bet I know what you'll say. Hostel....tsk....
You have to be stupid to make such a dumb and inaccurate comment, try watching it again with an adult and someone who has a clue about the reality of the world you have been closeted from.
I hated hostel but looking at some of this guy's reviews, it looks like he's getting paid to speak with a posh accent and think of "witty" metaphors to bash films. So far I haven't seen him do one positive review. I guess he could be entertaining if that's your thing but to me it's like listening to Simon Cowell waiting for his "audience" to cheer his every golden quip. I'll pass...
You think THAT'S posh? That's a street-level North London accent. Millions of people speak with that accent and none of them make more than 50,000 pounds a year.
