Forgotten Frights is back! To celebrate the second anniversary of our annual horror movie roundup, every weekday for the next month we're going to sound off on a scary good sequel (or, if we want some cheese with our corn syrup, a schlocky second), ruminating on the returns of our favorite monsters, murderers, heroes (or heroines), creepies, crawlies, chills and thrills.
Credit: Lionsgate HOSTEL PART II
What came before it: Hostel, the unfairly abhorred Eli Roth flick about a secret European organization that allows sadists to off unlucky backpackers in Europe for big bucks.
What remains: Elite Hunting is still open for disgusting and degrading business and has got its sights set on three American girls (Lauren German, Heather Matarazzo, Bijou Phillips). We also get to catch up with the lone survivor of the first flick, Paxton (Jay Hernandez). Just not for long.
Why it deserves a second (or third, or fourth) chance:
- It does what the original wanted to do, delving deep into Elite Hunting's fascinatingly elaborate operation and clientele, while still upholding a solid relationship with the selected victims.
- Did I call the lead gals victims? They're more like justifiably vindictive babes. Or at least the one who makes it to the unflinchingly bloody finish is. Final girls don't get much more badass.
- There's a surprising amount of male degradation, including a fair amount of dudity (dude nudity) and even a castration scene. Roth did it on purpose to please feminist fans who complained of the excessive lady exploitation in the first film.
- The "Virgins never die!" proverb gets spun on its head and then lopped off with a scythe.
- The death scenes are, of course, brilliantly brutal.
- It ends on the most perfect of twisted twists. You might see it coming from a mile away, but you won't care because it works so damn well.
- Ruggero Deodato, the director of Cannibal Holocaust, makes a cameo. As a cannibal!
