Sunday, August 13, 2006
By: MrDisgusting
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Today we have a very, very special treat all the way from Korea, one of the first ever reviews for Bong Joon-ho's The Host! When we received the review we weren't at all shocked that B-D reader Carlo Peritor gave the film a perfect score, I mean, people are raving about this film, which Magnolia Pictures will release sometime next year. The story concerns a carnivorous mutant in Seoul's Han River that attacks city folk. The monster itself was created by Weta, Orphanage, and Creature Workshop. Read on for the review or click the title above for pictures, posters and trailers...
Korean Cinema is certainly making its mark in the film industry. Whether it be locally or internationally, this generation’s Korean filmmakers are delivering story telling that is certainly turning my head away from the lacklustre offerings of western cinema and drawing my attention to such films as “A Bittersweet Life,” “A tale of Two Sisters” and not to mention that masterpiece that is the “Vengeance Trilogy.” However, there is one film, which now makes me believe that Korean cinema is not a force to be reckoned with. I bared witness at a screening at the Melbourne international film festival (along with a completely packed theatre) to Joon-ho Bong’s The Host.
Right from the offset, you know that this isn’t your normal creature feature. We’re introduced to lazy Park Kang-du (Kang-ho Song) who helps run (or attempts to when he isn’t sleeping) a food stand with his father Park Hie-bong (Hie-bong Byeon). Many of those who are familiar with the vengeance trilogy will remember Ho Song’s face as Park Dong-Jin, the father desperately seeking revenge against those that kidnapped his daughter in “Sympathy for Mr Vengeance.” The only priority in Kang Du’s life is his daughter Park Hyun-Seo (Ah-sung Ko). She is the love of his life and basically only wants to please her.
While working at the food stand (and stealing food for himself) he, aswell as a group of onlookers, spot a rather strange and very odd shape hanging under the bridge near the Han river where Kang-Du works. The large shape launches itself into the river and proceeds to work its way towards the crowd. Madness ensues. Once the crowd has satisfied its curiosity, we are introduced to the beast.
Forgive me for using the term badass, but this creature deserves the title. This thing, is big and mean, and hell it’s incredibly agile for something its size……not to mention it’s hungry.
What I was impressed with for starters was its introduction. There was no 45 minute build up to it, no fleeting glimpses of it. Within the first 10 minutes of the film, we come face to face with the monster of all monsters. My hat goes off to the guys at The Orphanage and Weta Productions for creating such a beast. This thing could take on King Kong and Godzilla at the same time with one hand, I mean paw or whatever it has behind its back and still come out as king of the monsters. The design of it looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before. From afar, it may look like some sort of demented T-Rex, but when we get up close and personal with it, it looks like something else.
As I said, all hell breaks loose when this thing comes ashore. Running through a panicked crowd, the beast begins to look for its meal. And that’s when it steals Kang Du’s daughter for a snack later on. At this point, the adventure begins. I have to admit, for a movie with such an incredibly big, bad beast, the sight of crimson is very minimal. That’s not to say that this is a movie for the whole family, but the use of gore is kept to a minimum. This film is intended to be pure and utter fun. And damnit did I have fun.
What I loved also was the political context it was put into.
SPOILER ALERT: The reason for the beast coming to fruition is explained in a scene at the beginning, when an American coroner working at a U.S Army base in Seoul, demands one of the Korean orderlies to tip gallons upon gallons of highly toxic chemicals down the sink, with the pipes leading out to the Han River. The title comes from the supposed virus with which the beast is Host to. The feeling of panic, doubt and fear is injected into the community thanks to a large dose of misinformation, given by the U.S representatives trying to cover something up. SPOILER END
The real scare scenes are quite minimal aswell and use only when necessary. I found this incredibly refreshing because unlike this film, most other movies ala Pulse, The Omen and Final Destination 3 often revert to jump cuts and loud noises to garner a response or fright. Here, we don’t have anyone screaming in our ear to keep us on the edge of our seat. Good story telling shouldn’t rely on such a method. Instead its infectious (no pun intended) blend of comedy, horror and drama are what really make this film. What you’re going to find in this movie is the humanity of the characters. These people aren’t what you’d call heroes. Anything that can go wrong does. I found that the more something went wrong, or the more their lack of intelligence became evident, the more I was drawn in by them. You can really identify with these guys, and when tragedy strikes you really feel for them.
King Kong is dead. Godzilla is no more. The Swamp thing is all dried up. There is a new monster taking their place. And goddamnit was I glad to be there to see it in the masterpiece that is The Host.
5 out of 5 Skulls
Source: Carlo Peritor
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