Before I left home for my 2 years traveling stint I remember a lot of talk about the film “Hostel”, knowing that it was a horror flick and that I’d be frequenting many hostels throughout the trip I decided to avoid the movie.
Here’s 5 movies that I think you should avoid (or watch for the braver amongst us) before traveling:
1. Wolf Creek (2005)
“The Thrill Is In The Hunt.”
Setting: Australian Outback
Backpackers venture out into the Australian outbreak to see “Wolf Creek” a giant crater that actually exists in real life. They become stranded and soon find themselves in a deadly situation as a strange bushman comes to seemingly help.
Apparently it is based on true events, Wolf Creek has the taglines “30,000 are reported missing in Australia every year. Some are never seen again. 90% of them are found in a month – How can you be found when no one knows you’re missing.”
It’s enough to make you want to cancel your flight to Australia.
Wolf Creek [DVD]
2. The Wicker Man (1973)
“Flesh to touch…Flesh to burn! Don’t keep the Wicker Man waiting!”
Setting: Remote Scottish Island
Not to be confused with the horrible over the top Nicolas Cage remake in 2006, the original was a sinister horror movie that will give any traveler something to think about when the find themselves in small remote villages.
The Wicker Man sees a determined police sergeant travel to a village on a remote Scottish Island in order to search for a missing girl. All is not as it seems as the locals claim the missing girl never existed, things get stranger still as the sergeant witnesses the strange local rituals taking place on the island.
The Wicker Man – 40th Anniversary Editon [Blu-ray]
3. Hostel (2005)
“10,000 people are killed in America each year. Over 2,000 with firearms. Americans… they have no imagination…”
Setting:Bratislava, Slovakia
After hearing amazing things about Bratislava in Slovakia whilst they are in Amsterdam, a group of three backpackers decide to travel there to see if it is true.
On arrival everything seems to be as reported and their hostel is “to die for”. There’s plenty of mystery and suspense before it all gets a bit gory.
It’s certainly enough to scare anyone thinking of backpacking in Eastern Europe.
Hostel – Part I-III Box Set [DVD]
4. Open Water (2003)
“Don’t get left behind”
Setting: Caribbean Sea
Enough to make you think twice about taking that Padi course in diving is Open Water.
It is based on a true story of two divers who surfaced after a dive only to find that their dive boat is no where to be found leaving them in shark infested Caribbean waters.
The couple are left drifting in the water facing jelly fish, dehydration, sharks and arguements between themselves.
For some unknown reason someone also thought it would be a great idea to make “Open Water 2”, how many times can you make a movie about the same thing? Oh yeah, “Jaws” springs to mind.
Open Water [DVD]
5. The City Of God (2002)
“Drugs Guns Music Love”
Setting:Slums of Rio de Janeiro
City of God is enough to make you extremely wary of a trip to Rio de Janeiro.
Set in the city slums of Rio (favelas) this is a ultra violent film with a great plot to back it up. It follows the struggle of two boys growing up in the slums, one becomes a drug dealer and the other is desperate to find a way out.
City Of God/City Of Men [DVD]
There are quite a few travel movies around and most of them are based on scary things happening.
Playing on the fear of strange places and the unknown are a recipe for a great horror movie.
What are your favourite or least favourite travel related movies?
I must be very odd… I actually saw City of God before my first trip to Brazil. It made me more eager to go, esp as one stop for me was a favela tour while in Rio de Janeiro.
It's certainly a cool movie, but also all a bit scary at the same time!
Rio is still cool though, that is true.
Good list – Iād say Final Destination is not a good one to watch before going on an airplane. I don’t know if I’d put City of God into this list, though. Wolf Creek is excellent. Breakdown with Kurt Russell is sort of a guilty pleasure, too.
I love this article!
wolf creek: I came to Oz completely unaware of the “wolf creek” and my friend didn’t stop saying before i left “never watch it, please, be careful, pleeease.” as i have horror films (dont know if even it can be classified as one) but it is the sort of film i don’t like, i thought “the wolf creek” was some sort of imaginary monster lol.
once my ex-flatmate borrowed it and made us all watch. its creepy and i cant help thinking of it.
city of god: being brazilian and being proud of this film, i think it is not reason enough to be scared of travelling brazil. its a massive country and theres is so much to see, its not like it is a city of god in every corner as most of people think it will be! but maybe if i wasnt brazilian id be a bit worried, so good on you jack! ; P
open water: it is just the crappiest film but i couldnt help not thinking of it when i did my first scuba diving. ha
hostel: ive seen bits of it and thought it was sooooo wrong i couldnt be scared. and i work in a hostel so no myths, we dont have any hidden rooms where i sacrifice those who are behind with rent! ha
i meant “i hate horror films”. ha
Thanks for the comments guys!
Final Destination is also a good call! Pretty scary opening scene.
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
Not to see- Midnight Express, Transsiberian, Turistas, and The River Wild!
Too See-My Father the Hero, Fools Gold, Blame it on Rio; cheesy, but light flicks
What's Transsiberian like? I've heard that it's worth a watch?
Thanks for the comment.
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
Hey,
I would add "Eden Lake" to the list above.
After this movie you quit traveling forever š
D
Hey D!
I'm going to have to check that film out now you've told me that!!
Thanks for the comment.
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
Hi Kevin,
I've got to agree really, I think "saw" was a lot better. Hostel seemed to be kind of pointless.
Thanks,
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
Hostel is fupping sick worst ever i would definitely not see that before going travelling, i don't know about city of god though thats a great film. cool post
I don't think that you could pay me a sum of money to watch Hostel – why would I put that in my mind – even thinking about the little I have heard creeps me out to no end. Thanks for the tips on other movies to avoid!
Hi Shannon,
I wouldn't be in any rush to see it!
Thanks for your comment š
Paul @
TravMonkey.com
"City of God" is one of my favourite movies of all time. The cinematography is beautiful, the music is infectious, totally captivating film. It didn't discourage me from wanting to travel to Rio whatsoever. It was quite an eye opener however.
"Open Water" is quite possibly the worst movie I've ever seen (watched about half of it on TV). Seriously looks like it was filmed, written and acted by complete amateurs – and not in the Blair Witch Project kind-of-way! It was sooo bad in fact, that I was LAUGHING out loud at the "scary" parts. I scuba dive too.
Watch "Sharkwater" – a stunning documentary, which will forever change the way you think of sharks.
Hi Becky,
I agree with everything your saying! š
Sharkwater? I'll check it out… I did once see an amazing documentary about a South Africa guy who learnt to dive with the great white. He even filmed them hunting.
Thanks,
Paul @
TravMonkey.com