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The Host (HD DVD, 2007)
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- Buy It NowThe Host (HD DVD, 2007)
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Bong Joon-ho's "The Host" is the best kind of genre film; a movie that delivers the conventions audiences expect from a horror flick., while also offering surprising new variations on the formula. The plot resembles any number of Environmental Monster Movies; like "Gojira" or Roger Corman's "Attack of the Crab Monsters", in which human carelessness with toxic chemicals leads to the formation of destructive creatures. In "The Host", a U.S. Military Officer (veteran character actor Scott Wilson) orders an underling to dump hazardous waste down a drain that leads to a river in Korea; Years later, a Lethal Destructive Monster emerges from the river and wreaks havoc. The premise promises a lot of old-fashioned sci-fi/horror kitsch; and Bong does not disappoint in the least !! Loaded with delightful images of the creature rampaging on land and in the water as dozens of screaming extras flee; and these scenes will bring a smile to the face of anyone with fond memories of Japanese Monster Movies or Steven Spielberg's "Jaws", (a key influence on Bong's film). Like Spielberg, Bong seems never to make a wrong choice in terms of editing or camera placement — every action sequence is timed for maximum impact, and the movie contains big scares. It's a very different kind of horror filmmaking from what one finds in movies like the "Saw" series and "Hostel". Bong doesn't skimp on the scares, but the movie doesn't have any truly 'nasty moments'. It's scary, yet you don't finish the feature shaken and depressed; rather energized and fulfilled (given the extent of visuaized stimulation in special-effects and storytelling premise). While Bong provides all the expected pleasures of a movie in this genre, what makes "The Host" special is its completely unexpected emotional resonance. The film also focuses on a dysfunctional family; troubled long before one of its members — a young girl — is kidnapped by the creature. After the child is taken, the tensions in her family reach a boiling point as the characters try to assign blame for the tragedy before eventually joining forces to try and save the girl's life. The scenes of domestic strife are perfectly balanced with the supernatural sequences so that each complements the other - the family arguments are given more intensity because of the high physical stakes involved, and the action set pieces are more exciting because of the complex and compelling characters. The result is an odd, but highly-effective cross between "Jaws" and "The Family Stone", though to imply that Bong is doing nothing more than combining elements from other films would be inaccurate — he assimilates his influences but doesn't imitate them. And the sincerity of his characterizations gives "The Host" a specific sensibility that distinguishes it from its predecessors; it's cheerfully entertaining; but its emotional pull gives it an appeal for audiences who would normally steer clear of movies about rampaging sea beasts. Bong's love of filmmaking is as obvious and infectious as his love of humanity, and his stylish and entertaining movie is irresistible. This is a guaranteed hit. Cannot fail you !! SEE THIS !!Read full review
You can watch a large film production like Godzilla from 1998 and then watch the Host by film-maker Bong Joon-Ho and get a totally different feel about what a really fantastic monster film really can do. Special effects, a huge monster, and an all-star cast couldn't possibly deliver as much as The Host did for the audience's enjoyment. Still story is better kept focusing on the small microcosm of catastrophe rather than dragging you through various situations that tend to invoke raw anxiety that can never be quailed. Adding to the story-line the fear of virus outbreaks and protests by the masses (one is reminded of SARS and other disasters in Asia's recent memory, not just Korea or China). The film focuses on a single family that becomes torn apart by this precarious fish-like walking creature that devours and saves people down in the sewer system for a later midnight snack. The most amazing results to all of this is entertaining it becomes to see what might happen next. Bordering on a thin line between comedy and tragedy, and melodrama and terror, for better or worse, The Host brings you to total fascination and captivation of your senses. Initial scenes showing how pouring Formaldahyde down the drain leads to a massive mutation of biological proportions when we are introduced to Park Gang-du (the very talented Song Kang-Ho), who is a bit careless running his business, yet when push comes to shove, he love for his daughter pushes him to drum up emotions he didn't know he had. Everything changes for him when the water creature comes up and takes his daughter away. He thinks he's seen the worst now, and the whole family grieves- this is another of the scenes that successfully skates against a horrible thing like losing a child and delivering it in absurd ways- only to discover, at least to Gang-du, that she still lives because her cell phone rings. The focus is now set to find her and rescue her from the clutches of this evil fiend. If only people could calm down about this so-called virus outbreak. The scenes with the family, and all of the actors involved, are really the strongest scenes, showcasing each one's talents and strengths (the grandfather character played by Hie-bong Byeon, is one of the best). It all leads up to a powerhouse climax involving noxious chemicals, and facing down the beast for good. The weaker aspects, including an intriguing but underdeveloped bit of political and social satire involving the control and fear and such instilled in the public, are not too deterring as luck would have it. The creature is also a marvel, as something that is, of course, not looking like much of something that's real, but as a visual effect it works much, much better than in the monster movies of recent years. It's believable in the unbelievable sense, and there's even a couple of true shocks that come out from its quasi-indeterminable physical make-up. The Host is, above all else though, a B-movie, and Bong Joon-Ho knows this like it's nobody's business. This is why the film works, even when it doesn't completely, and it's always a fun ride in both the ridiculous and catastrophic, putting a good grin on my face for more than half of the picture. I'm giving this film a 5/5 for succeeding where others fail. IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEW, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW BY VOTING. THANKS!Read full review
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