The Host by filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho is a funny, sharp monster movie the likes of which remind me of what I did NOT see in the remake of Godzilla in 1998. There they had the special effects, the huge lizard, and the all-star cast. But there was a hollowness even in the better or funnier moments. Here the filmmaker is more focused on putting just the right hint of satire and message behind material that actually works with the bigger picture. It's a story with its focus kept small, even amid the virus outbreak scares and protests by the masses (one is reminded of SARS and other disasters in Asia's recent memory, not just Korea or China). It's about a family that becomes torn through this huge fish-monster crawling out of the water and killing/taking people back to his sort of sewer-lair. The amazing thing too is how entertaining it is, and the line between comedy and tragedy, and melodrama and genuine excitement and terror, for better or worse, ends up making The Host something that should keep cult-movie fans captivated.
After expository scenes showing how pouring chemicals can lead to a massive mutation mistake, we're introduced to Park Gang-du (the very talented Song Kang-Ho), who is a bit of a lazy guy running his business, not that well, though with a daughter he cares for. This all changes when the monster comes upon the scene (that being one of the very best parts of the film), and the daughter is taken away from him. 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 lives via a call from a cell phone. The focus is now set for the rest of the film- find the sewer she's at and rescue her. 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.
After expository scenes showing how pouring chemicals can lead to a massive mutation mistake, we're introduced to Park Gang-du (the very talented Song Kang-Ho), who is a bit of a lazy guy running his business, not that well, though with a daughter he cares for. This all changes when the monster comes upon the scene (that being one of the very best parts of the film), and the daughter is taken away from him. 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 lives via a call from a cell phone. The focus is now set for the rest of the film- find the sewer she's at and rescue her. 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.