videorama-759-859391 I could pass a test of predictability with full marks on this film, and this is what this film does, walks that path, it's set. Because with these lure pretty girl/comes sex slave movies, we've seen it all before. I was disappointed big with this one, after first seeing the preview, with some hard to stomach themes. It's the last half hour (the snuff part, and those piggy masks are scary, you'll be having a Hostel moment) that's gets disturbing and really intense, with two surprisingly good jolt moments. This is another story about a beautiful Romanian girl, (Agostini, a black haired beauty that shines in the role, she's very good) fed up with her small town existence, looking for a more exciting life of fame and glamour, sold short of her promises, where a more real interminable hell quickly ensues at the hands of some pimps and sadist pornographers, one at the start in disturbing contrast, the real suave, normal Russian producer guy. The poor girls, end up on a death ride, into Snuffland. It's terrible watching all these good actors, reduced or resorting to this bad material. They're (a now beefy Madsen, Trejo, and Daniel Baldwin at his sickest, not bad though, + others) such a bunch of perverted scumbags, all here for show, you just want to shoot or make really suffer. I'm going with the latter. You'll be happy how one, the young raping guy, gets it, another unfortunately getting away. Misha Barton (God, this was that little girl in Notting Hill) an older more experienced and strung out pro, who befriends, Agostino, was very good. I can't see how people are rubbishing her, as I thought the accent was very convincing. The actors all do a good job, but Barton and to a lesser extent, Baldwin were the two that stood out. A little bit of sick violence, left in the aftermath, but Hope Lost really came off with amateurish moments, and kind of dulled for a bit or more correctly, cliché'd and dropped pace after the twenty minute mark. Like the 1999 thrill shocker 8MM, much better, or to a smaller extent, Taken, this film again, serves as a reminder, about that big dangerous trap out there, awaiting wannabe starlets who just take off for fame, some who are sadly never seen again. And you're probably wondering about the fates of the girls in these. Again, I was sold short, as I really wanted the end of the film, like the rest of it, to live up to it's title. A kind of spin of originality, was the suss lesbian combat trained customer, Agostino picks up, who becomes the hero and the girl's savior, that first sex scene in the car, I couldn't believe I was witness too. To see the careers of actors, like Madsen, and hauntingly Barton's, to sink to these B movie levels, it is bloody sad. I mean Michael, Skin Traffik, now this. Where did we wrong Mr Blonde? On the a whole, a disappointing, messy, 8MMetre'ish film, that could of been much better if more thought was poured into the project, as seeing the last 25 minutes is higher platform with nerve shredding suspense, and intensity. How sad.

Katy_Scary The opening song is Son of Man by About Wayne. I have not heard a great tune like this since early Tool on N.I.N. I was immediately engaged by the young Sofia (Francesca Agostini) listening to great music while working in a nasty factory. The Best Line in the movie was from her adorable brother, "How could I live without you?" but it sounds better in his language with the accent.The beginning of this movie was great. I was on the fence when Michael Madsen's character started speaking but the movie continued to come back around and I was pleasantly surprised by the overall story.Mischa, Mischa, Mischa.... *sigh* I have always like Barton's acting skills. Barton was better than average in this movie but she needed some work on her accent. I'm still a fan.I think they were playing Mozart at the end and it was simultaneously inappropriate and perfect.I will always love this film for introducing me to the Music Artist About Wayne.

quincytheodore You can't fault Hope Lost for not delivering the title. This is not an action or investigation movie, both elements are present here but in very minute scale. Hope Lost is a depiction of human trafficking and sex slavery down to its gritty nature. While I don't object the dark tone in the genre and the film does have a couple of refined moments, for the most parts it's a string of cruel acts towards frail ladies and this is definitely not for everyone.Sofia (Francesca Agostini) is a young woman who is promised fame and job by a stranger, as one might expect this is a bait to lure her into forced prostitution. Almost the entire movie is her struggle, meeting with violent mogul, dubious clients and another of the same fate. For what it's worth Francesca Agostini has performed admirably. Her portrayal of damsel in distress and overall material make it very easy to sympathize with her ordeal.The rest of cast is mainstay of action movie such as Michael Madsen and Danny Trejo. It's admittedly awkward seeing them in such heavy theme, for those expecting over-the-top gunslinging action, there's little to none here. Pacing is rather slow, with large portion of the film spent of twisted deeds. It's not much of detective work either, it may look like noir flick but it provides no in-depth thriller aspect. The film simply portrays the heinous nature of the crime, abundantly so.With tons of malicious scenes, it's really hard to digest. A few of these are realistically authentic, resembling the works of documentary channel, yet it often strays to pointless violence with repetitive torture. It may want to deliver a strong message, although it's hard to see the film be accessible to casual viewer or even fans of action or crime genre.The good acting and sense of realism might earn merit, but with such horrendous displays of cruelty, Hope Lost is clearly not for casual consumption.

m_lecarre I cannot understand why or how anyone would give this movie a rating above one. It's a movie that I'd perhaps expect to be asked to watch if I were taking a degree in clinical psychology or had any interest in the workings of a psychopathic mind, which I do not. Dark not noir-dark, just dark and depressing. I don't particularly seek out stories that help me maintain a rose-colored outlook on humanity, but neither do I seek out movies that portray only the darker side of a certain type of life that surely exists but thankfully one that I don't have to embrace in any way. There was not a single character in this movie that one could either sympathize or empathize with in any way whatsoever and that doesn't make for an interesting or engaging movie. Sewers and sewer rats exist, psychotic people exist, sick lives are lived, but why make a movie about any of that? I watched the movie based upon another review which was very positive and I see that the review has a lot of likes - all I can say is that's sad. Basically a very disturbing and sick story which, although well-acted, will very quickly be forgotten. It's like a garishly over-the-top remake of a low budget 1950's or 1960's Italian B 'horror' movie but takes itself seriously. Times and tastes change but not always for the better; we went from 'The Hills Are Alive . . .' (hum the rest - it's okay) to 'The Hills Have Eyes' - into this kind of social cesspool movie. I always try to find some redeeming quality in any movie I watch but in this case I can't say anything good about it.