Directed by Joon-ho Bong, Horror/Comedy, Rated R for creature violence and language, 119 min.
After a couple scientists questionably dispose a toxic liquid into a sink, a horrific creature is formed years later from the substance. The film quickly reveals the monster and spits on past movies where the creature is shrouded in shadows until the climax. This is because The Host is not really about its monster.
I watched this movie on 123 free movies.
If you caught the trailer for the film, you may have wondered what genre The Host lives in exactly. And the answer is... I'm not too sure. The horror element obviously stems from a giant, slimy thing throwing and eating many screaming people. But the audience spends most of their two hours with the central characters - a dysfunctional family who are brought together when their daughter/niece/granddaughter is taken by the beast. The comedy ranges from slapstick to dry dialogue to absurdity. It never feels forced, as it may have been if the film were a parody of monster movies (which it's not). The comedy element very importantly draws the audience closer to the characters. These aren't the typical Hollywood action heroes, they are a family of likeable, flawed people, and that is why we care about them.
The main characters consist of the young schoolgirl who becomes captured, her single father who lazily works at the family snack bar, her solemn grandfather, the professional archer aunt, and the drunken, unmotivated uncle. The cast of characters has the making of a quirky comedy, if it weren't for the rampaging monster that threatens all their lives.
The family is taken into custody by the South Korean government, fearing infection to the rest of the population. Here, there are several quiet stabs at how both the South Korean government and the American government might handle the situation. Once the family's cries to save their loved one are ignored, they take the liberty of escaping and hunting down the monster by themselves.
As The Host tight-ropes between several genres, it remains consistently entertaining. The blending of comedy and horror also adds something else to the mix - unpredictability. While we grow to like the characters, we don't know whether they will survive in the end. What the audience doesn't know, keeps them engaged to the story. And that's what makes The Host feel so fresh and enjoyable.
Final Rating: 4 out of 5