Hostal Parte III

I didn't hold out much hope for this sequel to what I thought was a pretty good movie the first time out. The second one was up there as well and I enjoyed them both. This one just didn't hit the spot and was a bit disappointing.

Unlike the first two being set in a foreign country this one is set in Las Vegas and that is, I think the first mistake. The second mistake is the lack of blood and gore and fairly tame violence up until the last 10 minutes of the movie.

There were a few twists that gave me a few enjoyable surprises. I especially liked the one in the first 6 minutes of the movie. The others while nice were not totally unexpected.

Some of the ideas were good, but I felt that the tame way in which some of the victims were killed just didn't fit with the Hostel theme that was set by the first two.

Hostel 3 has absolutely no reference to Eli Roth. That's the first hint you get that this probably isn't exactly the sequel you are hoping for.

The movie sets about the same story that was featured in the previous 2 parts only this time uses actors and actresses who aren't exactly gifted. I've seen my fair share of horror, good and bad, and this definitely qualifies as a bad movie.

The acting is poor, the story a quick rehash of the stuff we've already seen and once the gore hits its actually uninspired and with a total lack of anxiety for us as viewers.

You'd be better off looking at "A Lonely Place To Die" or "Kill List". Im sorry for everyone involved, but in short: avoid!

While the second movie did have a real tie in to the first (which as I have previously said, did not work out), this does not take any cues from it's predecessors. Which is a good thing and makes it slightly better for having a sort of spin off approach to it. There are false expectations and a lot of red herrings, some might annoy you, because you might see them coming a long time before they arrive, but overall, this achieves what it set out to do.

While not as great as part 1, it does achieve something that part 2 never had: A connection (even if it's a small one) with our main characters. Too many twists get that a bit out of control, but overall this is worth a watch, with a different director this time around to ensure a different result/approach

Hostel: Part III could be so named for the three main points that set it apart from its predecessors.

One: the departure from Slovakia to Vegas. Ultimately, this turns out to be a good decision. Bringing the chaos closer to home (for us Americans) adds an effective layer of chill and gives us something fresh and new to work with, as opposed to churning out what could have been basically a remake of the original film. At times the nostalgia of the foreign setting was missed, but ultimately I accept it as a wise choice.

Two: Roth is out, Spiegel is in. The change in direction is noticed heavily, and in the end I was disappointed and left wishing Eli Roth had never given up the reigns.

Three: Straight to DVD. This, also, was a change that was noticed for all the wrong reasons.

The film kicks off with a highly interesting opening scene with a twist in which our expectations are squashed and it is established that we are working with a totally new style of villain. We see that the Elite Hunting Club has progressed into something much more advanced than just a pay-to-kill deal, and while a little over-the-top, I enjoyed the new additions to the game. During the climax we are fed table-turning twist that had my heart pumping with excitement. Sadly, however, here is where my praise ends.

The torture scenes are terrible. They are all bad ideas executed very poorly. Furthermore, they are over within seconds and contain almost no gore compared to the first two (an OBVIOUS reference to the lack of budget). The cinematography is dead on arrival. Don't expect the dark and gritty look that is required for this type of film, but instead look forward to distracting brightness and elegance. And finally, the acting (spare one or two) is the worst of the series.

Overall, I give it a painfully mediocre rating of 5/10. I do, however, definitely recommend you to see it if you liked the first two. Just go into it with low expectations so you will not be let down, and look out for the unique routes the story takes instead of the torture sequences. These fresh twists and turns are bittersweet, though, because it showcases the fact that the film could have been a big success had the necessary efforts been put into it. Hostel: Part III will forever be known to me as the little film that could... but didn't.

Hostel was gritty and edgy, with a fine cast and well executed. Hostel 3 however is lacking in all of these features. Cheapens the franchise.