Director: Bong Joon Ho
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, Go Ah-sung
Screenplay: Bong Joon Ho, Ha Joon-won, Baek Chul-hyun
120 mins. Rated R for creature violence and language.

You young kids are probably all aware of Bong Joon Ho (Parasite), right? Well, back in my day, he burst onto the horror scene with The Host when it started to appear in video store shelves in the mid-2000s. Yes, sure, he had films prior to this, but-wait…do you kids even know what video stores are? Well, have a sit and let the film fan with back problems guide you on this odyssey.

Six years ago, an American pathologist has ordered his assistant to dump dozens of bottles of down the drain and into the Han River. Now, in present day 2006 Park Gang-du (Song Kang-ho, Memories of Murder) and his daughter witness an amphibious creature emerge from the Han River and begin tearing through Hangang Park. In the middle of the chaos, he loses track of her, leading to tragedy. The survivors are taken into quarantine due to the Korean government’s belief that the creature carries a deadly infection. Now, incarcerated by the government, no one listens to him when he believes his daughter is still alive, so he and his family must find a way to escape and save her.

Bong had been dreaming of making The Host since childhood. As an obsessed kaiju fan, he’d always dreamed of a Loch Ness Monster-style creature emerging from the Han River, lamenting the lack of a South Korean monster movie. What he’s crafted is far from his best work, but The Host is certainly a traditional monster movie with a few non-traditional story swerves which elevates it above several others. Additions like the possible virus caused by the monster, the environmental angle which is not rare in films like this but certainly fit a number of Bong’s films, and the creature’s design and motives all make for a more engaging film purely because they are more uniquely original to this take. A few of these ideas would later be used to better effect in 2016’s Train to Busan.

Nowhere is it more important to note the pathetic lead character, another staple of Bong’s work. The Host has the distinction of a really solid cast, led by Song Kang-ho. The characterization of Gang-du as a dimwit and a disappointing weak character who finds his strength frequently after it would have been most beneficial, constantly endangering those around him and failing to save the people he loves, Gang-du is frustratingly real, but the screenplay gives him this journey to being less of a loser as the narrative swings on. Bae Doona (Cloud Atlas) is also excellent if underutilized, and Byun Hee-bong (Okja) absolutely shines as the much braver father of Gang-du. Quick respect points should also be given to character actors Scott Wilson and Paul Lazar who appear in cameo roles.

The Host is a good movie but not one of Bong’s best. It’s a pretty typical monster film that has a few unique story points that make it more interesting than one might expect. A great pathetic lead performance, an interesting creature concept, and some strong social commentary help to uplift The Host into a truly emotional experience, one that’s worth checking out 20 years later.

3/5
-Kyle A. Goethe

For more Bong Joon-ho: Okja, Parasite