No horror fan is excited to hear that the next installment of their favorite franchise is going to be a direct-to-video release. Most of these films are cheap cash-ins that lack any kind of plot, talented actors, or an experienced director. When it was revealed that Hostel: Part III would be a direct-to-video effort, fans were understandably skeptical, but this film attempts to break mold and succeeds on multiple levels.
To mix things up from the first two films, Hostel: Part III moves the Elite Hunting Club to Las Vegas and why not? Out of all the cities United States, Las Vegas is arguably the best place to set up shop. There are plenty of tourists to kidnap, bored millionaires who need new ways to spend their money, and plenty of open land to hide your establishment.
The film starts out similar to The Hangover and features a group of friends who head out to Las Vegas for a bachelor party. Unfortunately, this trip isn’t as much fun as expected when they become involved with the Elite Hunting Club, who have added some new tricks to their Las Vegas establishment. Like the first two Hostel films, rich clients are still paying to torture and kill their selected victim. However, this time around a crowd is watching, and in keeping with the Las Vegas theme, they are betting on the outcome of the kill. The betting lounge and "wheel of misfortune" add some new life to the client kills and should please Hostel fans who have been wanting a better look at the Elite Hunting Club.
Hostel: Part III is directed by Scott Spiegel, who is no stranger to horror films, Hostel, and direct-to-video directing. He was the co-writer of Evil Dead 2, a producer on the first two Hostel films, and directed From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money. Thanks to Spiegel’s directing and work on the script, the movie keeps you entertained and has some interesting twists and turns, even if it doesn’t succeed in every aspect.
The film has obvious shortcomings due to the budget and tight shooting schedule for this film. It definitely shows on some of the sets, computer special effects, music and certain action sequences. On the plus side, this unrated DVD release didn’t have to worry about cuts for a theatrical run, so all of the death scenes remained unedited. The DVD is light on special features, but does contain a commentary track with Scott Spiegel and Kip Pardue. Sadly, there is no Blu-ray offering of Hostel: Part III in the initial release, so fans with a high-definition television will still have to watch a standard definition version if they want to check it out.
What Scott Spiegel was able to accomplish with Hostel: Part III is much better than the usual direct-to-video effort and shows that it is possible to sustain a franchise outside of theatrical releases. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this treatment for every horror franchise, but I think this works for Hostel fans when a theatrical release isn't possible. If you aren’t a fan of the previous Hostel films, Hostel: Part III isn’t likely to win you over. However if you love the first two movies and can look past this film's budget-related shortcomings of Part III, you should find this an entertaining entry in the series.
Film Score: 2/5 Disc Score: 2/5
For more on Hostel: Part III, check out our recent coverage:
-Interview with director Scott Spiegel
-Hostel: Part 3 Image Gallery
-Hostel: Part 3 Clip
-Hostel: Part 3 Trailer
After spending more than 10 years as a consultant in the tech and entertainment industry, Jonathan James launched Daily Dead in 2010 to share his interest in horror and sci-fi. Since then, it has grown into an online magazine with a staff of writers that provide daily news, reviews, interviews, and special features.
As the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Dead, Jonathan is responsible for bringing the latest horror news to millions of readers from around the world. He is also consulted with as an expert on zombies in entertainment and pop culture, providing analyses of the zombie sub-genre to newspapers, radio stations, and convention attendees.
Daily Dead's Official Podcast! Daily Dead's Official Podcast!
