host

THE FLICK: Now that traditional “B-movies” have become “A-list” properties (superheroes, sci-fi, and sorcery ruled this summer once again), whatever happened to the good ‘ol fashioned monster flick? You know, the made-on-the-cheap, cast of unknowns, questionable special-effects quickie that gets rediscovered and re-appreciated twenty years later. Well, apparently, like everything else these days, they’re being made overseas. The Host is a Korean import that’s actually a great deal better than its “B-movie” description, sporting a truly unique and impressively realized CGI creature that rises from the banks of the Han River due to illegal chemical dumping. The film balances scares, spectacle and sentiment with a dexterity that’s a cut above most American product (I’m looking at you Sci-Fi Channel), focusing on the efforts of an eccentric family unit to rescue their youngest member from the monster’s underground lair. Part hostage story, part quirky family drama, part Godzilla, director Bong Joon-Ho has admitted to using M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs as a template, with its world-wide catastrophe confined to a small-scale farmhouse that allowed for high drama on a tight budget. I’d argue that Joon-Ho’s film is the more effective (and definitely less pretentious) of the two, working wonders within the framework of a monster-on-the-loose movie. The first appearance of the creature, loping through a crowd of pedestrians in broad daylight like a cheetah across the savannah, is legitimately unnerving and sets the film’s tone – zigging when you think it’ll zag, deftly avoiding the expectations yet delivering when it counts. But The Host’s most significant accomplishment isn’t the creature itself; it’s making you care about its victims, something that Hollywood can’t buy even with the best effects departments. Cultural differences pop-up from time to time, and satiric jabs at U.S. interference during the crisis have been labeled as anti-American. However, like any good satire, The Host is an equal opportunity offender, holding its own country up to the fire just as often. Like the creature itself, Joon-Ho’s film is successful because it adapts, delivering a story with emotional impact that doesn’t skimp on the slime. THE FEATURES: Presented on high-definition Blu-ray format, The Host looks beautifully grimy. Sunlit scenes on the Han River are like a window over the Seoul skyline, while the sewer sequences pick out every dirty crack and crevice. Just an awesome hi-def transfer; this thing looks like a million bucks! The extras are spread out in several sections, but realistically could have all been pulled into one comprehensive piece. The Making of The Host includes segments on the film’s genesis (a Korean pollution scandal) and screenwriting process, and then proceeds on to more specific categories like Physical Special Effects, Designing the Creature, and Puppet Animatronix. Memories of the Sewer shows just how unglamorous filming can be, with the entire cast and crew inoculated for various diseases as they slog through the Seoul underground. Cast and Crew Interviews, Actor Training and a Gag Reel consisting mostly of CGI pranks are attached as well. A gaggle of deleted scenes feature unused monster snippets and a few humorous interludes along with director commentary. It should be pointed out that most of the extras are subtitled, along with the film itself, unless you go the dubbing route; something I wouldn’t advise for a movie that places such a strong emphasis on its performances.