Director: Eli Roth, 18, 93min

Stars: Lauren German, Bijou Phillips, Heather Matarazzo

On general release

BACKGROUND

• Hostel: Part II

• Hostel: Part II - Sunday Times review

• Hostel

• Festival: If you go to the woods

Here’s blood in your eye

Eli Roth’s movies revel in disgust, but the director proclaims himself the ‘horror Borat’

Related Internet Links

• 2007 London Film Festival coverage

• Times Online Film Trailers

It pains me to admit that Hostel: Part II is a slicker package than the craven original. That doesn’t excuse the fact that it’s torture pornography for morons.

The money shots of privileged psychos who pay a fortune to chop up rich and privileged backpackers in a disused factory in Slovakia are miserably voyeuristic. But the director Eli Roth has done some work on the ingredients. There’s even a twist of suspense.

Two rich American executives eager to test out the secret facilities for the first time have minor crises of conscience. But there is no turning back when the unsuspecting victims have been auctioned and strapped to operating tables in assorted dungeons.

The rest is purely cosmetic. Three sexy female art students replace the obnoxious jocks who were promised limitless babes and booze in the original. Again the film’s desire to offend is knobbled by absurdity, not least in a scene where a middle-aged vamp wearing nothing but lip-stick takes an orgasmic shower in one unfortunate’s blood.

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