Plot: What’s it about?
Beth (Lauren German) is in Rome, studying art and just soaking in the culture, joined by her friends Whitney (Bijou Phillips) and Lorna (Heather Matarazzo). All three young women have just finished a figure drawing lesson, when the model, Axelle (Vera Jordanova) approaches Beth. She asks to see the drawing and loves it, then tells Beth and her friends about a place where they can experience some real culture. Tired of fending off horny locals, the three travel to Prague and check into a hostel, unaware of a lethal chain of events that have been put into motion. As soon as they arrive, their pictures and descriptions are sent out to customers of a torture & murder clinic known as Elite Hunting. Now as time begins to pass, the young women are about to face the most horrific fates imaginable, but is escape even possible?
After the release of Hostel: Part II, countless fans cried foul and claimed that Eli Roth had simply remade the original, except with females in the leads. Of course, the basic concept remains the same and the two films do share common threads, but this sequel is no retread. The sense of dread here is more palpable, since we know what lies ahead for these women, unlike in the original, where we were caught by surprise. Roth is able to build genuine tension and atmosphere as before, but there is such a darker presence here, just pure dread at times. The violence is what it is, brutal and graphic, especially in this unrated director’s cut, which returns some rather unpleasant footage to the feature. I think Hostel: Part II works well and while it isn’t a landmark picture, it is better than most new horror movies released these days. This Blu-ray disc offers a total package of presentation and supplements, so if you’re going to see Hostel: Part II, this is how you should do so.
Video: How does it look?
Hostel: Part II is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The movie looks great here, with an accurate representation of the theatrical presentation, but the transfer might frustrate some viewers. Hostel: Part II uses a very dark, very harsh visual design, so this isn’t a bright, razor sharp transfer to show off your big screen with. The film’s visuals are sometimes so dark, detail is lost, but that is intentional, so don’t be concerned. Some scenes have a brighter, more natural presence and those scenes look excellent, but for the most part, this is a dark, dank visual design. Even so, it looks just as it should and offers a much better image than the standard release, so fans should be satisfied.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sounds of torture have never sounded sweeter, thanks to an uncompressed PCM 5.1 option. All the screams, spurts of blood, and saw blade spins sound excellent. The surrounds have a lot to handle here, but even in the most intense scenes, the audio is dynamic and effective. As great as the brutal sound effects come across, the real magic is in the subtle touches, the elements that create the atmosphere of complete dread. No issues at all with vocals either, as dialogue is crystal clear and not a single line is missed here. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 option, a French language track, and subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, and Thai.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A total of three audio commentary tracks have been loaded in, the first a solo session with Eli Roth, the second with Roth, his brother, and Quentin Tarantino, and the final track with Roth and several cast members. I found the first one to be the best of the lot, but each offers unique information and perspective. But the second track loses focus often and is more for entertainment, while the third tends to be less talkative and by turn, less informative. So if you can only spare the time to listen to one, Roth’s solo session is the wisest choice. A look at the film’s gore effects proves to be worthwhile, but the general behind the scenes piece comes off as overly promotional. I had high hopes for a great look inside the production, based on Hostel Dissected, but sadly, the sequel wasn’t given as much attention in that respect. There is a special look at the history of torture, which is worth a look, while a radio interview with Roth also proves to be worth the effort. The interactive surveillance camera feature is rather lackluster, but the gag reel and deleted scenes are not to be overlooked.
