The Host (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:141
Fresh:130
Rotten:11
Average Rating:7.7/10
Consensus: As populace pleasing as it is intellectually satisfying, The Host combines scares, laughs, and satire into a riveting, monster movie.
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Genre: Foreign Films
US Box Office: $2,010,000
Synopsis: The talk of the 2006 Cannes International Film Festival, THE HOST, the latest film from critically acclaimed visionary director BONG Joon-ho, has already garnered a substantial amount of... The talk of the 2006 Cannes International Film Festival, THE HOST, the latest film from critically acclaimed visionary director BONG Joon-ho, has already garnered a substantial amount of international buzz. Utilizing state-of-the-art special effects courtesy of a creative partnership between Weta Workshop (King Kong, The Lord of the Rings) and The Orphanage (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Sin City), THE HOST is equal parts creature-feature thrill ride and poignant human drama. Gang-du (SONG Kang-ho) works at a food-stand on the banks of the Han River. Dozing on the job, he is awakened by his daughter, Hyun-seo ( KO A-sung), who is angry with him for missing a teacher-parent meeting at school. As Gang-du walks out to the riverbank with a delivery, he notices that a large crowd of people has gathered, taking pictures and talking about something hanging from the Han River Bridge. The otherwise idyllic landscape turns suddenly to bedlam when a terrifying creature climbs up onto the riverbank and begins to crush and eat people. Gang-du and his daughter run for their lives but suddenly the thing grabs Hyun-seo and disappears back into the river. The government announces that the thing apparently is the Host of an unidentified virus. Having feared the worst, Gang-du receives a phone call from his daughter who is frightened, but very much alive. Gang-du makes plans to infiltrate the forbidden zone near the Han River to rescue his daughter from the clutches of the horrifying Host... --© Magnolia Pictures [More]
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Byun Hee-bong, Bae Hae-il, Bae Doo-na
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Byun Hee-bong, Bae Hae-il, Bae Doo-na, Ko A-sung
Director: Oh Bong-Joon
Director: Oh Bong-Joon
Screenwriter: Hah Joon-won, Baek Chul-hyun
Producer: Choi Yong-bae
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
Reviews for The Host
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In spite of its assorted lumpy bits, this is a far more successful monster movie than any creature feature Hollywood has churned out in a LONG time Full Review |
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The creature is aquatic, acrobatic but definitely not angelic, in this idiosyncratic mix of creature feature and horror thriller, with a dash of slapstick, and a pinch of black humour. Full Review |
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A subversive blast Full Review |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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Click to read the article Full Review |
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This monster movie from the Republic of Korea is one of the best films of its kind. Full Review |
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Minor flaws in a film destined to be embraced by genre fans worldwide. Full Review |
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A fantastic satire/monster movie Full Review |
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Imagine Little Miss Sunshine and Alien mixed together and you'll have an inkling of what South Korea's The Host has in store for you. Full Review |
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A rather tender-hearted, often sorrowful, more often hilarious view on the familial conflicts between generations and between siblings. Full Review |
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Joon-ho Bong effectue un pied de nez pour le moins renversant à une formule attribuant ordinairement une force psychologique surhumaine à ses protagonistes Full Review |
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If the slow pacing and gawky acting seem typical of low-budget monster movies, so much the better. Full Review |
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Más que una simple película de monstruos, un raro ejemplo de entretenimiento, drama familiar, crítica política y social y humor muy, muy bizarro. Full Review |
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like a mutant hybrid spawned from the improbable union of Little Miss Sunshine and Godzilla; for in this family comedy and political satire an unnaturally evolved tadpole just happens to loom (very) large. Full Review |
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The Host is a decent little monster movie that fans of the genre should enjoy. Full Review |
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a terrific popcorn movie that ... contains equal parts humor, horror and drama and turns out to be a thoroughly enjoyable "creature" movie that also contains an underlying environmental message. Full Review |
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click for full review Full Review |
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A self-aware throwback to the giant ants and nuclear-spawned mutant movies of the 1950s... Full Review |
Latest News for The Host
September 02, 2009:
First Look: The Host 2 ![]()
Eager for an early glimpse of one of the monsters you'll see in "The Host 2"? Twitch has what you're looking for. More...
March 18, 2009:
Bong Joon-ho Discusses Upcoming Projects ![]()
Director Bong Joon-ho isn't involved with the upcoming sequel to his hit monster movie "The Host," but he does have a number of other projects in the pipeline -- including "an... More...
November 19, 2008:
The Host Is Coming to America ![]()
According to Bong Joon-ho, director of "The Host," Universal has purchased the American rights to his film, and the studio is planning a remake for U.S. audiences. More...
June 26, 2008:
The Host 2 Filming in Early '09 ![]()
Director Ning Hao will helm and script a Chinese sequel to the Korean box-office smash The Host, scheduled to film early next year. More...
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