Hostel

7/10. Watched this Monday evening on DVD.

I wasn't expecting much from this one, and I almost skipped it altogether. Eli Roth's first movie, Cabin Fever, was a tedious mess; and I was also a bit put off by his new movie's premise. Happily, Roth has grown substantially as a filmmaker since his debut; and Hostel isn't close to being as plotless, pointless and gratuitously gory as I thought it'd be.

Part of the movie's success is due to its cast. The three protagonists avoid becoming cartoons, despite their dull-witted superficiality during the first half; Jay Hernandez moves from sleazeball to sympathetic with particular skill. As the movie's main villain, Jan Vlasák delivers a chilling performance. And this woman needs to be given more roles right away.