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Hostel: Part II By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- As far as horror films go, we now live in a world far removed from the frights offered by the now quaint likes of Vincent Price and Christopher Lee. Case in point: "Hostel: Part II" (Lionsgate) is a repellently sadistic story of three American girls, Beth (Lauren German), Lorna (Heather Matarazzo) and Whitney (Bijou Phillips), kidnapped while traveling abroad. They are lured to a Slovakian spa by a glamorous model who had posed for them in an art class. The resort's sole purpose is to allow wealthy international clients, including American businessmen Stuart (Roger Bart) and Todd (Richard Burgi), the privilege of bidding for, and afterward, torturing and slaughtering their prize. Eli Roth's film has a glossy look and is not without style and even a smidgen of substance, in that there's a small attempt to give some psychological motivation to the clients. Inasmuch as human sex trafficking is a very real problem on a global scale, with victims actually sold in auctions on the Internet (as indeed these victims are), there's a chilling verisimilitude to a canny montage showing the various well-heeled clients getting notice of the latest victims for sale. So, too, the performances are a cut above for this genre. However, what might have been a reasonably good horror film along more conventional lines (though, granted, that would be missing the point of films like this) instead becomes an empty, wince-inducing bloodbath. The film contains pervasive violence and gore including disemboweling, castration, cannibalism, brief full male and female nudity, much rough language and profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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