Review of Host, The (HD DVD)

Introduction

Before The Host, Bong Joon-Ho is probably best known for the offbeat thriller Memories of Murder. That film got critical acclaim internationally, and raked in piles of cash, earning itself the fourth position in the `most viewed film ever` list in South Korea. Ambitious and with many more doors now opened to the director (and able writers), he chose to produce this highly anticipated monster flick, thus breaking his own previous personal record, making The Host the highest grossing film of all time in its native country.

His $10 million (US) budget helped (again, a record high for the country), as did help from WETA and The Orphanage on special effects duty. Partly inspired by a real formaldehyde dumping, The Host attempts to tear up the rule book when it comes to monster movies.

Released on HD DVD, in a move that`s simultaneous with a Blu-ray version, The Host is a creature feature that`s quite uncommon in today`s market. When an unidentified monster suddenly appears from the depths of the Han River and starts attacking the locals, The Park`s are forced into a rescue mission, as a family member is captured by the creature and dragged off to it`s lair of bodies and bones.

Video

The film has a lovely transfer in general. It`s not quite pin-sharp, and noise is pretty frequent in day scenes (though it doesn`t take anything away from the much improved quality of the film). Darker scenes are not affected by any major issue, and fine detail means that the image constantly remains impressive.

It`s a really good looking film, and lovingly presented in 1080p/VC1; I`m glad to say letterboxing was a non-issue.

Audio

The HD DVD edition of the film gives the options of two tracks - DTS-HD 5.1 and a standard Dolby Digital 5.1. If you have the option, the Blu-ray version has an uncompressed track that is alledgedly head and shoulders above what is available here.

Features

The features are all presented, somewhat strangely, in 4:3. It`s also pretty consistent that barely any actual main feature footage is used, which is slightly annoying when contributors directly reference details and particular scenes. Maybe this is due to most of the production on the accompanying material taking place simultaneously during the making of the film? As a result, much of it seems very flat and monotone, although there are a few chuckles to be had during the `Practical effects` supplement.

Even so, I was glad to see that the Special Features are indeed extensive, and for a disc that doesn`t tart itself up with any `edition` subtitle, it`s a very modest output. It`s truly fantastic to see the work put into this film, especially when you realise the budget involved. This is a large scale production, but it seems no expense was spared. It might be surprising for the viewer to see how many of the locations were real (witness actors and crew getting injections before entering the sewers in `Memories of the Sewer`) and how carefully considered every aspect was (you`ll be glad they chose the monster design they did once you see some of the other contenders).

The gag real is pretty much pointless and actually not funny whatsoever, so flick past that. Deleted scenes (presented in a compressed SD format) are worth a watch, and on occasion quite amusing, though you can see why most were cut in the first place. It`s worth noting too that all featurettes, as well as being 4:3 (and on some occasions seemingly filmed on a camera phone), are in their native language, apart from the Orphanage and WETA segments, and subtitled clearly. Also, they are presented in SD (and possibly shot in DVCAM), so don`t expect the image to impress in the same way as the main feature.

You`ll find SD versions of the film come with better supplements, strangely missing from this disc. So if features are really important, that`s worth taking into consideration.

One slight annoyance with the disc is that it doesn`t take advantage of the interactive menus that are almost expected with new releases now. In fact, being that it`s usually a selling point it seems a step back when you aren`t able to scour through the menus whilst the video remains playing.

Conclusion

Rather than choosing to make a slow burn (comedy) horror, the director reveals the beast almost from the offset. We`re thrown straight into the melee, in arguably the best sequence of the film, as terrified locals try to escape the oncoming creature. In plain sight we get to see the ensemble creation, and Bong Joon-Ho immediately demonstrates he knows how to handle a big set piece.

Eastern films are often ambitious, but do not quite have the budget to match. Usually it`s in the special effects department that the movies are lacking, and although things have got better, sometimes the style over substance of major films does tend to bore. When you are dragged right out of a film, because the CGI just isn`t believable and sticks out like a sore thumb, it can almost ruin the escapist fun the viewer is having. So it`s a brave choice for the director to show the mutant from the offset, and it`s in this decision that the film makes it first minor misstep.

With a bigger budget it might not have an issue, but Western audiences have been spoilt over recent years; Hollywood spawned summer flicks are constantly raising the bar when it comes to visuals. The Host takes a confident blast at emulating bigger films, whilst retaining its own individuality. Like Memories of Murder before it, it`s a unique approach to a genre, fusing a large element of comedy with a character driven story. But the effects just miss out on being good enough to be believable, and when it`s a monster that looks so outlandish it needs to at least look good for it to not be unintentionally distracting. However, you can overlook this quite easily when you realise that the budget is about 5% as big as some of the bigger Hollywood films released over the past couple of years, and in fact, for the money spent, Bong Joon-Ho has created a very good looking film.

It`s not until the final third where The Host loses its grip, never quite able to maintain the momentum set up early on in the film. It gets, dare I say it… boring. Further to that, if you know anything about character development, you pretty much know early on that one of the main characters will use their unique skill to defeat the monster at the end. The setup is so obvious you`re just waiting for it happen, but that`s a minor complaint in an otherwise decent film. It`s very dark at times, and delights in its own bizarreness, whilst always remembering to put its characters first before the creature. The acting, and the relationship between the characters was very authentic, and you felt that they genuinely cared about one another. You are totally drawn in by Kang Ho-Song`s unrelenting pursuit, as he manages to strike both sympathy and bravery in equal measure; a role that other actors might not have handled so well. On a different note, I did spot an element of anti-Americanism, and it wasn`t until I read the directors comments that said otherwise that my mind was put at rest on the issue.

I`m glad it`s been successful for a director who clearly knows what he`s doing, and will undoubtedly go onto create even bigger and better films. Don`t believe the quote that it`s "on a par with Jaws" (Harry Knowles, AICN), because it really isn`t. Comparisons to that film are completely misguided, because this film doesn`t have any slow reveals. Heck, the reveal is as in your face as you could get, and the monster, although lithe, doesn`t quite have the menace that Bruce does in Spielberg`s classic Shark horror. Even so, lower your expectations a little, and be prepared to watch a brave, ambitious attempt at tackling a genre that`s had little success (internationally) since the 50`s/60`s, and you might find yourself getting your teeth into a little monster of movie.