Eric Ippolito

The Host

The host surprised me, and in a good way. I hesitated watching this movie at first thinking that it would end up being a grade B film; it turned out to be a little bit more. This family-band-together/horror/action movie (deluxe combination right there) begins by setting up a few defining events that trigger the plot for the rest of the film. Throughout the movie, you get this rare glimpse at the deeper emotions and merit of the individual characters as they interact with each other in a series of dynamic and tragic circumstances.

In a nut shell, the Host is about the Park family and their struggles to recover a young member who has been snatched up by a mutant lake monster. Each character has a chance to show their fortitude as they ultimately realize that defending each other in all circumstances is what family is really for. There were certain scenes that I couldn't tell if the humor in them was deliberate, and the music at times was cheesy, but the culmination of them all creates this exciting film with a drama-like atmosphere. In the end, the movie resolves in an emotional climatic conclusion that leaves you with healthy impression of all the work that went into the writing, directing and producing of this film. So if you're into monsters, if you're into action and suspense, if you're into excellent Korean cinematography at its finest, I highly recommend this movie to you!

Music.............7

Acting............9

Characters......10

Plot................9

Total Rating= 8.75