Take the plane! Only minimal spoilers.
Now, I am kind of bewildered about the low rating of this movie. I mean, Jesus, this plot was made so real, it was almost too real for me. For several years I live in Thailand now, and a similar plot could happen here too, no question about it. I think maybe the Americans who judged this movie think it's some kind of fantasy, maybe they think that because they never travelled like these kids. A backpacker is worth nothing in the eyes of the locals, trust me. They never get why we do it. They think we must be poor to travel like them. And being thought of poor in a third world country is having no rights at all. Especially the beginning of the movie is oh too real, with the bus accident and the drugs. The acting is wooden? I don't think so at all. The main bad guy was played very well, also the other local people. Well sure, the tourists were a bit Tara Reid types, but overall, the movie was exceptionally cool and gave me a good shivering. Maybe for the guys who sit in Kansans with popcorn in the cinema it is a bit too difficult to get into this movie, but if you live in a third world tourist country like me, you get the hell scared out of you, because it's all your nightmares come true. They are totally right with their advice to take minimal risks when in 3rd world tourist country. My survival rule is: Better to say no many more times than necessary and take the risk to appear rude, than to say one time yes too much. If anybody tells you that this could not happen and places like Brazil, Thailand etc. are safe to travel and that movies like that are just scaring the tourists away, because all it's all just clichés, stereotypes and unreal scenes that don't represent the dangers of the country then I would say they just want you to go there and spend your money. These are the same people who would probably say it's OK to swim when sharks are in the water.