This Korean film packs a lot in: it’s a political critique of American imperialism, global pandemic panics, environmental pollution, chemical weaponry to name but a few. All this and it manages to wrap it up in a good old fashioned monster movie a la Godzilla.

A mutant underwater monster terrorises the populace of downtown Seoul. It may or may not be carrying a lethal virus and anyone who comes into contact with the beast has to be quarantined and “treated” by the sinister American led agents of control. Agent Yellow, a biochemical ultimate weapon, may or may not be the answer. Meanwhile the population are up in arms and protesting at their governments capitulation to US demands.

This one’s a whole lotta fun and explores the politics of fear with some rollicking suspense scenes involving the drooling, flipping, bone munching monster as it causes carnage and chaos in the lives of decent citizens everywhere. Technically, it’s a well made film, with lots of strange camera angles, atmospheric claustrophobic settings, and scary things swooping out of the darkness to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hurrah!

I normally don’t like monster films, but this is not really a monster film so much as a story about people and how tragedy can bring a dysfunctional family together.

The script is quite funny and entertaining in parts, and the film has a light-hearted feel throughout most of it. I found it really enjoyable.

This is one of the better “not worth it” films I’ve seen in a while. I mostly thought it was not worth seeing and disappointing on many levels, but I didn’t feel like I had wasted 2 hours of my life (as is the case with most “not worth its”).

I saw the Host tonight and was underwhelmed. Maybe I like my monster/adventure movies a little more intense or scary? I thought that parts of it were really interestingly done, but others were so heavy-handed (the U.S. incompetency sections), and others felt really really slow. I kept wanting it to be something that it wasn’t.