2008 Woodie Awards
Movie Review: 'The Host'
Korean river monster breathes new life into horror movie genre
By: Anthony Barsanti
Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: Review
5 out of 5 stars
In the 1950s, the majority of films centering on the destruction of humanity's civilized infrastructure and society were often through some grotesquely oversized creature of alien or even prehistoric stature. However, in time, the audience drew the conclusion that it was ultimately from their own 'civilized' culture that such a monstrosity originated.
In those days, "Gojira" (Godzilla, 1954), other monster movies and their reactionary themes to the atomic age were taken more seriously than today. In South Korean director Joon-ho Bong's modern resurrection of that epic genre, "The Host" is just that - an impressively amusing contemporary retelling of old cautionary tales directed at modern man's imperfect and immoral encroachment on the ways of nature.
The Park family, especially the main character Hie-bong, played by Hie-bong Byeon, is already having a rough day in their hometown of Seoul. First, his wife left him with his daughter Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko) years ago, his brother Nam-il (Park Hae-il) is unemployed after graduating from college, his father Gang-Du (Kang-ho Song) runs a snack stand on the Han River across from the city and his sister Nam-Joo (Du-na Bae) is a timid member of the national archery team. On top of that, a hideous monster the size of an 18-wheeler has suddenly risen from the current of the river and began terrorizing people along the banks. Coming quite close to his own death, Byeon is unable to save Hyun-seo from being kidnapped by the unwelcome monster.
However, at the outset of the film, we see the true culprit behind this fantastical creature - literally unlike any monster we've seen before - irresponsible scientists dumping hundreds of bottles of a mysterious toxic liquid (possibly formaldehyde) into the sewers leading to the Han River.
Of course, the rule of any really good monster film is the occurrences behind the making of such a creature must be based somewhat on fact.
In the 1950s, the majority of films centering on the destruction of humanity's civilized infrastructure and society were often through some grotesquely oversized creature of alien or even prehistoric stature. However, in time, the audience drew the conclusion that it was ultimately from their own 'civilized' culture that such a monstrosity originated.
In those days, "Gojira" (Godzilla, 1954), other monster movies and their reactionary themes to the atomic age were taken more seriously than today. In South Korean director Joon-ho Bong's modern resurrection of that epic genre, "The Host" is just that - an impressively amusing contemporary retelling of old cautionary tales directed at modern man's imperfect and immoral encroachment on the ways of nature.
The Park family, especially the main character Hie-bong, played by Hie-bong Byeon, is already having a rough day in their hometown of Seoul. First, his wife left him with his daughter Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko) years ago, his brother Nam-il (Park Hae-il) is unemployed after graduating from college, his father Gang-Du (Kang-ho Song) runs a snack stand on the Han River across from the city and his sister Nam-Joo (Du-na Bae) is a timid member of the national archery team. On top of that, a hideous monster the size of an 18-wheeler has suddenly risen from the current of the river and began terrorizing people along the banks. Coming quite close to his own death, Byeon is unable to save Hyun-seo from being kidnapped by the unwelcome monster.
However, at the outset of the film, we see the true culprit behind this fantastical creature - literally unlike any monster we've seen before - irresponsible scientists dumping hundreds of bottles of a mysterious toxic liquid (possibly formaldehyde) into the sewers leading to the Han River.
Of course, the rule of any really good monster film is the occurrences behind the making of such a creature must be based somewhat on fact.
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