"Turistas" ** (out of four): Neither gory enough to be a full-on horror movie nor exciting enough to be a full-on thriller, John Stockwell's vacation-gone-horribly-awry film is stuck somewhere in between.

“Turistas” is the first American production to shoot entirely in Brazil and, by the light in which Brazilians are portrayed, it may be the last. According to “Turistas” – John Stockwell’s dark tale of tourists running afoul of (what else?) a madman in the Brazilian jungle – the famed country of beaches and loose morals is every bit as dangerous as you’ve heard…and much, much more. Having been to Brazil, I understand the lure of its exotic, beach-going lifestyle. I also remember hearing tales of violence against tourists – particularly white American tourists. Mr. Stockwell’s film preys on those fears. Well, those and the fear of getting your organs stolen.

Read More on BigPictureBigSound...