The Host

I just saw The Host on DVD. What a treat. How long has it been since you've seen a monster movie you really enjoyed? Many moons for me; probably Lake Placid was the last one, and before that ...Predator 2. The Host is a few quality notches above Lake Placid, but like Lake Placid, this movie has just the right mixture of humor and horror to make you want to watch more than once. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, The Host is the highest grossing Korean film in history.

The plot follows the plight of a dysfunctional South Korean family as they are among the first to encounter a large mutant monster that rises (in a full daylight film sequence that is just riviting) out of the Han River. Many people along the river are killed and a few are devoured on the spot. The youngest member of the family, Hyun-seo, a school girl, is taken by the monster, clutched in its (brilliantly conceived) prehensil tail. Authorities are less than helpful as they declare a virus carried by the monster to be more dangerous than the monster itself. The family takes matters into their own hands as they seek the liar of the beast in an attempt to rescue Hyun-seo who has made brief contact on a dying cellphone.

This is an intelligent, moving, funny, and scary film with wonderfully spicy cinematic and theatrical ingredients. The superior story is deftly acted by an outstanding cast.