| "Man has made his newest predator." |
| |||||
The Host
2 DVDS/APPROX. 119 MINS/2007/JAPAN MA15+
2 DVDS/APPROX. 119 MINS/2007/JAPAN MA15+
9.5
| All written material is © from 2006 to Present at DVD Resurrections. This website is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The opinions which are expressed within these pages are solely those of DVD Resurrections. No copyright infringement is intended or implied. |
| ||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It’s 2002 and a United States scientist (Scott Wilson) who works in a morgue in Korea tells his assistant doctor (Brian Rhee) to dump several
bottles of formaldehyde down a drain. The assistant doctor begins to argue with the scientist and warns him that the toxic materials will just end
up in the Han River if poured down the drain, still he doesn't care. A few months later, two fisherman spot an unusual weird fish like tadpole
swimming in the river. Several years has past and it's now 2006, we meet a lazy-bum named Park Gang-du (Kang-ho Song) who helps runs a
snack stall on the banks of the Han River in Seoul with his father. While Gang-du is serving two local customers who are near the riverside, he
notices a crowd of people staring at something dangling underneath the bridge, before diving into the water head first. Just meters away from the
riverbank, Gang-du notices a large dark shadow within the murky river water; the crowd begins to throw junk food into the water, which scares off
the creature. Gang-du begins to hear people’s screams from a distance, getting louder and louder. While everyone else is discussing what they
just witnessed, a large creature comes storming towards and through hoards of people on the park's riverside. Amongst the mist or fright and
terror, Gang-du's daughter Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko) is carried off by the mutant monster and disappears back into the Han River. Hyun-seo’s family
members are left devastated and come to the terms that she is dead, until Gang-du receives a text message and realizes that she is still alive in
the creature’s lair deep in the Korea sewer system. Gang-du and his family will just about do everything in their power to bring her back.
What are my exact thoughts on director Joon-ho Bong The Host? I'll try my darn best to describe them enough in this review. The Host would have
to the greatest creature feature film ever released this year, with brilliant CGI effects I have ever seen on film. Now those who have read a few of
my reviews, will know I am not a huge fan of CGI films, but I have to tell you this guys, this film is most definitely a masterpiece of cinema. The
creature effects looked so friggin real and the way it moved it looked so natural that made it feel believable, and I honestly couldn't pick up one
flaw at all within this movie.
Leading cast member Ah-sung Ko who played character Park Hyun-seo, did a remarkable job with her role in the film. At times she was serious,
strong minded and very convincing with her character. When watching her on screen, you will find yourself drawn into the film far more than other
characters within the film. I think mainly because she was in the creatures lair in the sewer, and every time the creature returns she would play
dead, hide in a near by hole in the wall while searching for ways to communicate to a family member. As for all the characters throughout the film
and especially Park Gang-du (Kang-ho Song), they all had a comedic value but in a serious way, which made the film more enjoyable and
entertaining to view. But when it came to the serious scenes, they definitely stepped up to the plate and redeemed themselves.
The Host is currently now released on DVD, thanks to our legendary DVD sponsor Madman Entertainment/Eastern Eye who supplies us Aussies
with all the regional 4 Asian cinema we can handle. But like all South Korean cinema, The Host will keep you on the seats edge for a solid two
hours, plus that’s not counting Disc 2 which is jammed packed with behind the scenes footage, Delete Scenes, Gag Reel, Memories in the Sewer,
Puppet Animatronix and much much more (just read below for more details).
I highly recommend this film to everyone who reads this review, and even for those not interested in Asian Horror, this film is definitely not to be
missed by all costs. Though The Host isn't a full on horror film, it’s rather more on the suspense, thriller, drama, and comedy side of things. So no
need to fear people if a loved one hates watching gory repulsive creature feature horror films, this will suit their taste dearly.
bottles of formaldehyde down a drain. The assistant doctor begins to argue with the scientist and warns him that the toxic materials will just end
up in the Han River if poured down the drain, still he doesn't care. A few months later, two fisherman spot an unusual weird fish like tadpole
swimming in the river. Several years has past and it's now 2006, we meet a lazy-bum named Park Gang-du (Kang-ho Song) who helps runs a
snack stall on the banks of the Han River in Seoul with his father. While Gang-du is serving two local customers who are near the riverside, he
notices a crowd of people staring at something dangling underneath the bridge, before diving into the water head first. Just meters away from the
riverbank, Gang-du notices a large dark shadow within the murky river water; the crowd begins to throw junk food into the water, which scares off
the creature. Gang-du begins to hear people’s screams from a distance, getting louder and louder. While everyone else is discussing what they
just witnessed, a large creature comes storming towards and through hoards of people on the park's riverside. Amongst the mist or fright and
terror, Gang-du's daughter Hyun-seo (Ah-sung Ko) is carried off by the mutant monster and disappears back into the Han River. Hyun-seo’s family
members are left devastated and come to the terms that she is dead, until Gang-du receives a text message and realizes that she is still alive in
the creature’s lair deep in the Korea sewer system. Gang-du and his family will just about do everything in their power to bring her back.
What are my exact thoughts on director Joon-ho Bong The Host? I'll try my darn best to describe them enough in this review. The Host would have
to the greatest creature feature film ever released this year, with brilliant CGI effects I have ever seen on film. Now those who have read a few of
my reviews, will know I am not a huge fan of CGI films, but I have to tell you this guys, this film is most definitely a masterpiece of cinema. The
creature effects looked so friggin real and the way it moved it looked so natural that made it feel believable, and I honestly couldn't pick up one
flaw at all within this movie.
Leading cast member Ah-sung Ko who played character Park Hyun-seo, did a remarkable job with her role in the film. At times she was serious,
strong minded and very convincing with her character. When watching her on screen, you will find yourself drawn into the film far more than other
characters within the film. I think mainly because she was in the creatures lair in the sewer, and every time the creature returns she would play
dead, hide in a near by hole in the wall while searching for ways to communicate to a family member. As for all the characters throughout the film
and especially Park Gang-du (Kang-ho Song), they all had a comedic value but in a serious way, which made the film more enjoyable and
entertaining to view. But when it came to the serious scenes, they definitely stepped up to the plate and redeemed themselves.
The Host is currently now released on DVD, thanks to our legendary DVD sponsor Madman Entertainment/Eastern Eye who supplies us Aussies
with all the regional 4 Asian cinema we can handle. But like all South Korean cinema, The Host will keep you on the seats edge for a solid two
hours, plus that’s not counting Disc 2 which is jammed packed with behind the scenes footage, Delete Scenes, Gag Reel, Memories in the Sewer,
Puppet Animatronix and much much more (just read below for more details).
I highly recommend this film to everyone who reads this review, and even for those not interested in Asian Horror, this film is definitely not to be
missed by all costs. Though The Host isn't a full on horror film, it’s rather more on the suspense, thriller, drama, and comedy side of things. So no
need to fear people if a loved one hates watching gory repulsive creature feature horror films, this will suit their taste dearly.
| BUY DVD @ MADMAN.COM.AU |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Search Review Database: |