Movie Review: The Host - Page 2

Among other things, Bong demonstrates with The Host that he's adept at the art of storytelling shorthand. In this early scene alone, he gives us quick sketches of five characters without feeling expository or leaving the snack shack run by Gang-du's father Hie-bong (Byoen Hie-bong), while simultaneously emphasizing the spatial separateness that is reflected by the family's emotional divisions. Both of these gulfs are closed in short order by a horrific event, and that's when the meat of The Host arrives on the scene.

It's a hell of an event, too: During the opening monster mash, Gang-du loses sight of where he's going, stumbles and accidentally lets go of Hyun-seo's hand. Just as he realizes his error, he turns to see Hyun-seo being swept up and carried away by the monster's tail.

Initially thinking her dead, the family is crushed. One night, though, Gang-du gets a call; the reception is full of static and the voice on the other end is difficult to hear, but it's definitely Hyun-seo. Before her cell phone dies, she manages to get across that she's alive in a sewer somewhere. The family then resolves to band together and save her... but first, they have to get out of quarantine. See, Gang-du got monster blood on him, and the monster might be carrying a new virus, so...

As you can see, there's a lot going on in The Host. I haven't even touched upon the political dimensions present within the progression of the plot — it was, after all, the order of an American soldier that caused the mutation in the first place, and as the crisis spins out further, there's talk of direct intervention. Bong isn't just indulging in America-bashing, though; the Korean government is consistently displayed as corrupt, inefficient, and incompetent (example: the scene where Gang-du and Hie-bong talk their way through a guard post using quick words, a stolen van, and a bucketful of change). The further along things go, the less willing anyone in charge is to admit mistakes, which leads to some unforeseen narrative complications. By the climactic showdown, the Park family appears to be the only hope for humanity - where the institutions fail, the family will persevere.

Article Author: Steve Carlson

Steve Carlson, the proprietor of The Ongoing Cinematic Education of... since 2002, neither conducts electricity nor talks to reptiles. However, he knows someone who does both.

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