The Host
Tuesday, Aug 7, 2007
Let’s get right to the chase: American horror films have been absolutely abysmal in recent years. Perhaps I’ve become ridiculously desensitized to violence courtesy of all the mature rated videogames I allow into my home (I know… I’m BAD), but I really don’t find buckets of blood that horrifying. Besides—as much as Hollywood would like to tell you otherwise, fictionalized torture is not entertainment (even when the victim is Paris Hilton). It’s with great pride, then, that I introduce to you one of best “horror” films I’ve seen in nearly a decade (horror is in quotations for a reason, but I’ll get to that). A breath of fresh air has made its way across the Pacific in the form of the 2006 South Korean monster film The Host.
Park Gang-du is quite the unlikely hero…
Set in Seoul in the present day, The Host artfully combines horror, slapstick comedy and political satire with a grace that hasn’t been seen in a long time. It tells the story of a dysfunctional South Korean family: Park Gang-du (played by Song Kang-ho) is the not-so-bright proprietor of a riverside concession stand on the shore of the Han River; Park Hee-bong (played by Byeon Hee-bong) is Gang-du’s father and co-owner of the concession stand, who somehow manages sharing space with his dope of a son; Hee-bong’s other children are Park Nam-joo (played by Bae Doona), a Korean archery champion, and Park Nam-il (played by Park Hae-il), an alcoholic and unemployed college grad; rounding out the cast of characters is Park Hyun-seo (played by Ko Ah-seong), Gang-du’s school-aged daughter who harbors both pride for her champion aunt and shame for her dimwit father and alcoholic uncle.
The Park family from left to right: Nam-joo (Bae Doona), Hee-bong (Byeon Hee-bong), Hyun-seo (Ko Ah-seong), Gang-du (Song Kang-ho), and Nam-il (Park Hae-il).
When The Host’s titular monster arrives on the shore of the Han River and takes young Hyun-seo back to its lair, the Park family must set aside their differences and head out in search of their youngest member. Throughout this journey, the viewer is treated to slapstick comedy, suspense and drama of a caliber American filmmakers rarely attain. Director Bong Joon-ho and his tightly knit crew demonstrate skill far beyond their years as they spin a masterful tale set in places both familiar and foreign.
Most of The Host is shot on location rather than on a soundstage. This isn’t to say, however, that there’s anything at all amateurish or simple about the sets—in fact, they’re so grandiose that the viewer is led to presume that all of them are constructed (as opposed to found) locations. The creature remains a believable horror throughout the film, bearing more in common with LOTR’s Gollum than Jedi’s Rancor. The only time the monster seems to display its CGI roots openly is during the film's climax—a forgivable problem, considering the complexity of the scene (and the proximity of the “beast” to live actors).
Overall, The Host is a film that remains entertaining to the last. The characters are all as believable as they are charming, the themes will hold true for just about any audience member, and the thrills are bound to keep you on the edge of your seat. As for the various video releases themselves, I had the opportunity to view the Blu-ray version. Incorporating all the content of the two disc collector’s edition DVD, this format’s enhanced resolution audio and video make viewing the film in a modern home theater setup an extra treat. Perhaps the only shortcoming was the fact that subtitles were presented in white as opposed to yellow (still, I was never at a loss for what was going on—this is a monster movie after all). Any fan of suspense and drama owes it to themselves to watch The Host. Till Next Time—
The Good Ed
- Directed by Bong Joon-ho
- Approximately 119 minutes
- Rated R
- Available on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray
- English and Korean languages in 5.1 PCM, DTS-HD, and Dolby Digital (Blu-ray version)
- 1.85:1 Aspect ratio; 1080P HD video (Blu-ray version); all extras in 4:3 at 480P