Hostel

If this film is to be believed, there are sickos out there willing to pay thousands to torture people. If it is to be financially successful however, a lot more need to be willing to pay a fiver to watch. That's trickle-down economics for you. Scarily, such an audience exists, and could probably do a lot worse than 'Hostel': three backpackers enjoy the obvious pleasures of Amsterdam when, a la 'The Beach', a dodgy no-mates promises greener grass on the other side of Europe. That's, er… Bratislava, Slovakia. Cue the horror. The filmmakers know their thrill-seeking market well, and lead them patiently down a dark path of their own choosing until they're screaming to turn back. Good, harmless fun. [Alec McLeod]