Hostel: Part II

The latest entry in the “torture porn” genre suggests that the subject's limited possibilities have been completely exhausted. Despite the efforts of writer-director Eli Roth to expand his freakishly popular franchise, Hostel: Part II is no more than a lame rehash of its predecessor, with the sole innovation being a sex change for the protagonists. Instead of young men being lured to their deaths, we're introduced to three female American students (Lauren German, Bijou Phillips, Heather Matarazzo) studying in Rome, who accept a weekend getaway invitation from one of their art-class models (Vera Jordanova) to visit an exotic spa in an Eastern European country—unaware that they're headed for a grisly fate at the hands of torturers (two American businessmen—Richard Burgi and an oddly cast Roger Bart) who pay big money for the privilege of chopping up fetching young victims. Although Roth attempts to flesh out the three protagonists, he's already essentially defined them with single traits—German is worldly, Matarazzo is naïve, Phillips is slutty—which makes for a protracted and boring second act. The stomach-churning “action” is largely confined to the film's last 20 minutes, which will nauseate average viewers while proving mildly disappointing to hardcore gorehounds expecting a ratcheting-up of the original Hostel's content. Not recommended. [Note: DVD extras include three audio commentaries (the first with director Eli Roth; the second with Roth, executive producer Quentin Tarantino, and associate producer Gabriel Roth; and the third with Roth and costars Lauren German, Vera Jordanova, and Richard Burgi), a 27-minute “The Next Level” behind-the-scenes featurette, “A Legacy of Torture” international television special (24 min.), 10 deleted scenes (12 min.), a seven-minute segment on production design, “The Art of KNB Effects” on the special effects company (6 min.), a “Blood & Guts” gag reel (4 min.), “The Treatment” audio-only radio interview with Roth, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an awful film.] (E. Hulse)