Great Asian horror debuts in U.S.

By Kylie Jane Wakefield
Collegian Editor
March 28, 2007

Over the past few years, dozens of terrible horror films have come out of Hollywood. They not only fail to elicit scares, but they also offer little consideration in regards to artistic integrity, actual thought and, well, an original plot (if any at all). So I gave up on American horror cinema, as should you.

American moviegoers pretty much dismissed the idea of an Asian horror-monster film after a few Godzillas were made, but with the recent release of South Korea’s The Host, I’m hoping that our faith in this genre will once again be restored.

The Host isn’t just a horror movie. It’s funny, visually stunning, politically satirical and highly entertaining. From the first scene of a scientist dumping highly toxic waste down a drain, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, always certain that an imminent doom is slowly approaching.

The film follows Park Gang-Du, a deadbeat salesman who milks off his father Hie-bong’s eatery business, often falling asleep on the job and constantly consuming the merchandise. Along with his daughter Hyun-seo, they live in a shack by the Han River, where the dangerous chemicals were dumped years earlier. On this particular day, the creature that has been forming underneath the surface emerges, taking Gang-du’s daughter captive and causing anarchy throughout the Seoul region.

Gang-du teams up with his father, his bronze-medal-winning Archer sister Nam-Joo and his drunken college graduate brother Nam-il to find Hyun-seo. They must escape the confines of a hospital, where the government has locked up Gang-du for his contact with the “Agent Yellow” virus-carrying monster, to go on the impossible mission of locating Hyun-seo in one of the Han River’s thousands of sewers. Officials refuse to believe that Hyun-seo is actually alive, but suspect that the virus has invaded Gang-du’s brain and made him delusional.

The Host takes you on a wild ride of emotions, all of which are never permanent from scene to scene. Some parts are hilarious, while others are touching — yet it all seems to make sense. The filmmakers weren’t hesitant to include commentary about the SARS and AIDS epidemics, and how the government’s policies often clash with the public’s best interests.

The special effects are nothing short of extraordinary, and are better than any I’ve seen these past few years in American films. The monster is semi-scary, but what’s much more important is just how cool it looks. It’s more graceful than Godzilla, but a heck of a lot more unattractive. The creative and daring cinematography pays special attention to detail, something also often taken for granted in Hollywood. The Host isn’t only enjoyable because of its wittiness and subtlety, but it’s a joy to just look at as well.

At the beginning of The Host, you’re almost certain you can predict what is bound to happen, but an hour-and-a-half in and numerous plot twists later, you can’t be sure what’s lurking around the corner. The monster sure is freaky-looking, but this genre-breaking film isn’t just about the monster. It’s much more complex than that.

wakefieldk1@lasalle.edu