The Host (2006); drama, comedy, horror Korean film review

Poster artwork for the South Korean monster film The Host.

Monster Hit by Linh

The Host (Gwoemul in Korean meaning 'monster') was one of the most enjoyable, suspenseful, political horror films I have seen in ages. It's more than special effects and monstrous attacks on humans; there's a strong element of family drama and uniting to fight government bureacracy to hunt down the creature.

The Host opens with a somewhat prophetic prologue on the impending fear about to hit the Koreans. At the morgue of a US Miliary base in Korea, highly toxic formaldehyde is poured down the drain, then flows into the Han River.

Fast forward a few years later, Park Kang Du (Song Kang-Ho), works at his father's snack stand beside the Han River. A creature is spotted swimming in the waters of the Han River, then it is seen again hanging underneath the bridge. Its amazing acrobatic skills bewilder the locals as it does back flips with the agile ease of a trapeze artist. Moments later, the creature whick looks like a huge mutant tadpole with a pink vagina dentata mouth on solid taloned feet, emerges from the water and goes on a chaotic rampage causing destruction and trampling anyone in its path. Kang Du's daughter Hyon-Seo (Ko Ah-Sung),is captured by the mutant and everyone believes she's dead. The plot involves Kang Du, his father Hee Bong (Byon Hee-Bong), and his brother Nam Il (Park Hae-Il), and his Olympic archer sister Nam-Joo (Bae Doo-Na) embarking on a frantic and dangerous search for the 15 year old Hyon-Seo.

Hyon-Seo (Ko Ah-Sung) spends some time watching television with her lazy elder brother Kang Du (Song Kang-Ho) in the film The Host. Image: Madman Entertainment.

 
The director Bong Joon-Ho takes the audience into territory which most sci-fi films don't venture. Scenes of a mass public funeral where the families of the mutant's victims are televised in mourning, the process of de-contamination and fumigation of anyone who came into contact with the beast and the medical testing.

The Host is less about the monster, but focusses more on the inadequacies and failures of the Park family members; Kang -Du is clumsy and lazy, his father is irresponsible and procrastinates, his sister loses athletic competitions, and his brother gets drunk and violent. These folk seem so dysfunctional as a family and losers as individuals that the manner in which they unite to save Hyon-Seo is heroic and admirable.
All the performances were excellent, in particular Ko Ah-Sung as the bratty school girl Hyon-Seo.

The political subplot involves America's intervention with the East featuring scenes with US military parading around like they own the place. American influence on the East where the US government insists the mutant is spreading a virus, when there is no virus at all, and the US also introduces the chemical 'Agent Yellow' in Korea.

The ending was unsatisfactory and it seems as if all the family's efforts were wasted in the end. However, The Host is an exhilarating ride of slapstick comedy, horror, special effects and solid performances from the lead actors.

The sequel to this film, The Host 2 (Gwoemul 2) is currently in production, with Bong Joon-ho and Hao Ning as screenwriters and Park Myeong-Chan as director. Some of the original cast members may be returning for the sequel with some Chinese actors also appearing in the film. The Host 2 will be released in South Korea in 2014 with other countries screening it in limited release.

Nam-Joo (Bae Doo-Na) risks her life for her family when she confronts the monster in the film The Host. Image: Madman Entertainment.

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Writers: Bong Joon-ho (screenplay), Baek Chul-hyun (screenplay), Ha Won-jun (screenplay)

Cast: Bae Doo-Na, Song Kang-ho, Byeon Hie-bong, Park Hae-il, Ko Ah-sung, Oh Dal-su, Lee Dong-ho, Lee Jae-eung, Yun Je-mun, David Anselmo, Martin Lord Cayce, Cristen Cho, Park No shik, Yim Pil-sung, Philip Hersh, Paul Lazar, Brian Lee, Clinton Morgan, Brian Rhee

Producers: Jeong Tae-sung, Kim Woo-Taek, Choi Yong-bae, Lewis Kim, Joh Neung-yeon, Jang Junyoung

Original Music Composer: Lee Byung-woo

Cinematographer: Kim Hyung-ku

Film Editor: Kim Sun-min

Production Designer: Ryu Seong-hie

Languages: Korean with English subtitles, English

Running Time: 2 hours