Review of The Host (2006) by John S — 03 Jan 2016

I watched "Gwoemul" aka "The Host" expecting a campy monster movie in the style of Godzilla or Cloverfield and while I was watching it I learned it was actually a social critique of post-modern South-Korean society and most particular the destructive nature of American political and cultural influence. This critique was done with a clever mixture of drama and comedy behind the backdrop of a monster story and filled with far more symbolism than I've ever seen in any European or American film. The cinematography and the special effects were also more than decent.

Fans of typical monster movies probably won't like this film since it's just not a typical monster movie by any standard. If you are, however, a fan of political satire and you're not afraid of some cultural experimentation you may consider this a masterpiece.