The Host Movie Review: Great Effects, Marginal Story

Do you like dramatic monster movies like Jaws? Do you like dysfunctional family comedies like Little Miss Sunshine? What if you could get both of those fine flavors in one tasty Korean film? It's a difficult trick to pull off, and unfortunately The Host doesn't quite make it.

The Host has two major items of interest: it boasts some special effects work by Peter Jackson's Weta gang, and it's the all-time box office champ in South Korea. It was seen by over 13 million viewers during its run in Korea last year, an astonishing figure in a country of around 50 million. So what's all the fuss about? Sure, we have a scary and innovative monster brought to life exceptionally well by CG wizards. We also have comedic family dynamics played out by talented actors. There's even some light political commentary about US involvement in South Korean affairs, but nothing particularly notable. Unfortunately, the film is lacking a tight script to hold the disparate elements together, so we're left with momentary bursts of terror and comedy surrounded by slowly-paced filler and an unsatisfying conclusion.

The film opens in a lab populated by a US scientist and his Korean assistant. The deranged US boss determines that they should dispose of large amounts of formaldehyde simply because of some dust on its containers, so his obedient assistant proceeds to dump the toxic liquid down the drain where it runs into the mighty Han River. Flash forward a few years, and suddenly the populace is menaced by a whale-sized critter living in the river. The creature is incredibly impressive, especially his unique way of moving along the underside of a bridge. Oh yes, this isn't just a water-based monster, he's also able to run on land and hang upside down from overpasses. There's no direct explanation of what animal he mutated from, or how the toxic substance came into play, but you won't really care once you see this impressive freak of nature in action.