Ok – rarely do I tell people not to see a movie or read a particular book. I am not a fan of cencorship and I believe that people need to develop a level of discernment in terms of weeding through the trash of our increasingly corrupt culture.

 

The new film, Hostel on the other hand, pushes well past any limits that may have existed. I realize as I write this that I am actually going to comment on a movie that I have never seen – I hope this does not become a habit because I absolutely cannot stand it when people offer opinions about something they have never seen/read/experienced. However I do believe I have developed quite the talent for discerning the content of books and films through culture-gleaning etc. (Those of you who can do this know what I am talking about) – so here goes…

 

The basic premise of the film revolves around, as one New York Times reviewer writes "three hedonistic fools" on a trip through Europe seeking out every kind of sexual pleasure they can get a hold of. Along the way they are kidnapped and become fodder for depraved wealthy people who pay to torture and kill other humans. What you get in the first 45 minutes is virtually a porn film followed, in the remainder, by a snuff film.

 

Now the director apparently has a message to deliver through all this – that over time our destructive self-centered addicitons like those to porn require more and more feeding to satiate the addict’s need (such is the nature of any addiction) building to a point where some people require the most hideous forms of torture and violence to feel anything like a high. The irony then is that these three fools are tortured by people they are potentially on the path to becoming just like.

 

Not a bad theme frankly and likely it has some truth to it not just for the individual but also for whole cultures as we become increasingly addicted to various things.

 

The stupid thing with this film is that it does the very thing it is attempting to present – through hyper-realistic violence, torture and death the film further desensitizes a culture already addicted to violence and pornography thereby creating a need for even more realistic violence and pornography (I know it is more complex then that). Eventually we may get to that point where the violence and pornography on film, TV,etc.  is not enough for our culture and the next step is taken. The reality is that many people in our society are already stepping out into this realm. Of course I know that people will say that there are those predisposed to this sort of thing and nothing we do or don’t do will prevent it. Perhaps. But do we need to provide the triggers?

 

So there you have it – now you don’t need to see the film.

 

SIDE NOTE:

 

 

If the sacrifice of children to a false god by people who were deceived into believing it was required was seen as "a detestable thing" by God – how much more detestable to God is it to enjoy the torture, suffering and death of human beings for the sheer personal pleasure and thrill of it?

 

P.S. The Passion of the Christ is arguably one of the most violent films of the past few years but it falls into that same category as Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List etc. Violence chronciled for the sake of warning us against it, sacrifice presented for purpose of helping us understand it. My point? The intent of the artist matters not simply the intent of the recipient. Hostel was made to entertain. Certainly there are those who could go into Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan or The Passion of the Christ with the intent of enjoying the suffering presented – for them the films become pornography and their twisted nature overpowers the intent of the artist. It is a challenge to balance the artist’s intent with the recipient’s.