When Does it Cease Being Entertainment?

Having seen the trailers for the new movie, "Hostel", I was simultaneously disgusted and intruiged about what kind of reception it would get. The work of Eli Roth, protege of Quentin Tarantino, it billed itself as the most disturbing film in recent history. After reading a spoiler (I have NO desire to see the film), I can agree that it is easily one of the most sadistic and horrible things to cross the screen in some time. At least since November when Saw II terrorized theaters.

So imagine my surprise when I read that Eli actually thinks that this story has a heart of gold, and that he's doing society a great service by having created this movie. Eli was apparently influenced by a Thai site he found which allows businessmen to shoot a willing Thai resident in the head for $10,000. The money goes to the family of the slain person. Eli was fascinated that life should be worth so little to these people and decided to explore that theme. As a result, we have "Hostel," a movie about a cartel of rich businessmen who pay to have tourist in Eastern Europe kidnapped so that these rich men can torture people to death for the "rush."

But the problem comes in that Eli, much like his talented mentor, never bothers to flinch away from the most gory, horrific scenes he can create. He revels in the horror of what these people are doing to innocents. And he asks the audience to come along with him on this ride, so that we can (supposedly) cheer for the "good guy" at the end after he escapes and takes revenge.

Now, Eli hasn't actually killed anyone and neither has the audience. But don't we still have to ask, are we really any better then the buisnessmen in the movie if we go to a theater and watch this sort of horror for "fun?" Are we, as a society, really so different if we actually find enjoyment in watching people being tortured? It seems to me that Eli has tried to make a point but fails to see that he is so mired in it that he hinders, rather than helps, the situation. By creating a situation where we can go and watch people being tortured, granted it's only in the movie but it's still torture, is he really helping? And what does it say about us that we pay to see it?