HD DVD Review: The Host

Setting box office records in its native homeland of Korea, The Host is a family drama with a twist. It’s really a monster movie, or one stuck amidst the story of a family desperately seeking their youngest member. The somewhat sluggish pacing and numerous unexplained occurrences are cause for concern, but Host is a still a wild ride.

Blatantly putting the blame on the US (and based on true events), formaldehyde is dumped into a Korean river, spawning a grotesque yet innovative-looking beast looking to munch on some film extras. Its first appearance is a monster classic, bravely shot in broad daylight amongst a city backdrop and loads of people. The special effects are on par with anything coming out of America, and it continually strives to prove this, including a secondary action sequence set in a massive downpour.

While that may indicate non-stop action, this is a subdued effort from director Joon-ho Bong. The central characters are a small family composed of varied and well-thought out contrasts. Hae-il Park is the klutz, yet also the hero willing to risk it all to save anyone in need. The film stays on a strict path in terms of development, and stays with scenes to ensure the proper tone is intact.

There is also a strong layer of comedy here, even though the story takes critical downhill swings into heavy drama. The lighter tone breaks up some of the tension, and it initially feels awkward. Laughing at a funeral is tough to do, while the script work and ridiculous (in a good way) performances sell the idea.

With the amount of time spent on jokes and basic conversation between the family unit, you can’t help but begin layering questions on top of questions about the story. A virus subplot is baffling and confusing without adequate explanation. The initial means of inadvertently creating the creature likewise should have spawned countless more. There is no science involved to explain the monster, and this comes with a cost. Some of its actions are then likewise lost on the viewer, such as why it eats some people and leaves others in its sewer lair alive.

Article Author: Matt Paprocki

Matt Paprocki is a 12-year movie and game critic. He currently freelances for Blu-ray review site DoBlu.com and video game site MultiPlayerGames.com.

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