Review of The Host (2006) by Cassandra M — 25 Sep 2009

Scream for me Seoul! Gwoemul (or The Host) sees South Korea put into a state of hysteria normally reserved for 1950s b-movies. This delightful creature feature is an interesting Asian take on the monster movies of old, with a lot less stagey shtick and a lot more in the way of contemporary concerns and classy film-making.

The film, excellently constructed by director Bong Joon-Ho, centres around the premise that a few years previously an arrogant American official ordered toxic chemicals to be poured down the drain. Thus, said pollutants find their way into the Han River and a mutant is spawned, the 'thing' then goes on to wreak havoc upon the panicked park-goers of Korea's capital city. Poor Seoul isn't only blighted by this watery beast, but also by American scaremongering, secret agendas and monsoon rain; the latter makes the film look all the more bleak and beautifully tragic.

All sounds very appealingly apocalyptic, but what about the monster? Frankly, it's 'orrible: a kind of octopussified-scaly-tentacled-fishfaced-squid-beast that likes to drag schoolkids off to the sewers. A Harryhausen model may be prettier to look at, but it must be admitted that "The Host" in all its CGI sliminess looks the part and shoots the film lightyears away from its papier-mâché and puppet predecessors. Combined with the biting socio-political commentary on offer and the affecting acting performances (as best exemplified by Hie-Bong Byeon and Kang Ho-Song as father and lazy son respectively), Gwoemul manages to root itself in distressing realism.

It may be grey and gruesome, but it's also an enjoyable escapade: a good old-fashioned disaster smash. There's also a little bit of something for everyone, whether it be in the family drama, the social statements, the chase or just purely in the finned fright of 'The Host' itself. South Korea keeps on pumping out vital films and Gwoemul is no exception. With superb special effects and sharp film-making, Gwoemul is something of a modern monster masterpiece.