Turistas (AKA Paradise Lost)
Dir: John Stockwell
2006
**
Turistas or Paradise Lost as it is also known, is a perfect example of what is wrong with modern American horror films. It feeds on irrational fear, fear of travel, other cultures etc, it's almost xenophobic. I know America is a vast country, but only under 13% of Americans have a passport, these kinds of films only heighten this irrationality but also suggests a certain superiority that is often insulting. To this film's credit, there are other nationalities represented here but unfortunately as a Brit (and from London) i'm slightly annoyed at the portrayal of the typical Brit as being a cockney twat. I'm sure Swedish viewers were just as insulted by their representation. Also, what is the murder rate in America again? It's xenophobia, pure and simple and I don't like it. Also, don't name your silly little horror film after one of the greatest achievements in literature. I probably don't have to tell you that this film has nothing to do with John Milton (although I bet John Stockwell will argue that it is about the fall of man in some ways but I would argue it is the fall of original thought/film making). It is, like others have said before, like Hostel in Paradise. Still, all that said and to its credit it does attempt one thing that is usually woefully absent in most slasher films and that is character development, although this is only as far as the men are concerned, the women don't matter so much, just as long as they are running around in bikinis, so credit taken away. The underwater cinematography is also very well done and earns this film a slightly higher rating than I want to give it.