In a way, Hostel: Part III feels like an attempt to bridge the divide between its own franchise and the Hangover series, and not just in the superficial Las Vegas connection. Both series revel in placing ugly Americans in horrific situations they unwittingly placed themselves in through their own arrogance and indulgence, and playing out those consequences in locales barely more developed than the hedonistic protagonists. But if anything, Hostel has always been less sparing in its viciousness, and the glimmery streets of Vegas are a poor substitute for the industrial villages of Eastern Europe. Hostel Part III may intermittently show signs of life, but the series sorely misses Eli Roth.
After a clever opening, we are introduced to four guys headed to Vegas for a bachelor party (sound familiar yet?): groom Scott (Brian Hallisay), smooth-talking best man Carter (Kip Pardue), drunken anti-marriage Mike (Skyler Stone), and crutch-requiring Justin (John Hensley). It goes without saying where all of this is headed, effectively merging the narrative beats of both franchises into something that passably resembles both, but makes the unfortunate mistake of drawing it out as if it is generating any suspense (something the first sequel was smart enough to not do). It also makes the mistake filling every spare inch of the screen with shimmying lady butts and neon lights (a stark contrast to Roth's plainer, cleaner aesthetic), making the transition in the franchise feel even less organic and necessary.
But most unforgivable is this film's handling of violence, at least in comparison with the last two. The second Hostel faced as harsh a round criticism upon its release as any slasher film in recent memory, so it's something of a comedown for the torture dished out to feel so rote and obligatory. Never is there a sense of the sadism that pervaded both its predecessors; instead, the kills are racked with something approaching creativity, but never resembling menace. For a series looking to find its legs in the direct-to-DVD market, it's an even bigger liability than it would otherwise be.
Bonus Features
There's an audio commentary with director Scott Spiegel and actor Kip Pardue.
"Hostel: Part III" is on sale December 27, 2011 and is rated R. Horror. Directed by Scott Spiegel. Written by Michael D. Weiss. Starring John Hensley, Kip Pardue, Thomas Kretschmann, Brian Hallisay, Skyler Stone.
