Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
At first glance, The Host looks like any other monster movie--an amphibious creature from the depths stalks and devours an urban population--but there's actually much, much more going on beneath the surface. Not that there needs to be: although it has a fairly hefty 119-minute runtime, The Host is fast moving, with plenty of action and a truly gruesome-looking monster. Visually, it's a gorgeous movie, with stunning special effects and beautiful settings (even the rather nasty sewer scenes look perversely great). However, the real crux of The Host isn't really anything to do with the monster: at heart, this is a family drama, not a horror movie. The story focuses on one small family and how they react to the weird goings-on all around them. When the youngest member of the family, Hyun-seo, is snatched by the titular monster, the family is devastated until a call from her mobile phone gives them fresh hope. Unfortunately, everyone who came into contact with the being has been quarantined due to a virus scare, so they have to escape the Korean authorities to go on a rescue mission. Then the American army steps in, and all hell breaks loose...
It's a very original idea, with nuanced and well-written characters, plenty of humour, and a darker undercurrent of social and political commentary, topped off with a thrilling monster-killing adventure. Brilliant, in other words. --Sarah Dobbs
It's a very original idea, with nuanced and well-written characters, plenty of humour, and a darker undercurrent of social and political commentary, topped off with a thrilling monster-killing adventure. Brilliant, in other words. --Sarah Dobbs
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Ralf Dupka
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
I saw this film after a review alerted me to its original format. Unlike holywood which relies either on making us wait a long time to see the monster, or revelling in gore rather than story, this Korean flick gives us the monster straight up, and follows with lots of story. It is a most original and engaging take on the horror/monster genre. The movie is about the struggles of one family who lose a daughter to it early in the film. Which is not to say it lacks suspense or action. It has these in globs, and all the more hard hitting as we can believe in these very real character's lives, and through them believe all the more in this fascinating monster. I only hope Holywood does not buy the rights to this, yet another piece of fresh imagination from the east, and and make a travesty of it. The bluray version is great, as unfortunately the normal DVD version is a poor grainy transfer.
34 of 41 people found the following review helpful
By Clara Butt
Format:DVD
Far and away the best film of 2006. On the face of it your average big monster creature feature but not so. This film has everything. Action; comedy; drama; fantasy; horror; sci-fi; pathos; heroism; political comment and an examination of that trickest of life's challenges - family relationships. The characters are heroic but deeply flawed and prone to failure, in short really human.
I hate when people give the whole plot away, so I won't, but I will say take note of the opening scene it is a reconstruction of what was actually a quite horrifying true event. What Joon-ho Bong the Director does is extrapolate from that event and using an accessible entertaining film subtly comments on the real horrors that such cavalier attitudes will lead us to and no I don't mean the monster - state interference; state indifference, rumour and obfuscation; deliberate demonising everything we can see already in a world deliberately being taught to be afraid of its own shadow.
And the finale - Hollywood would never have the nerve.
Above all a cracking film - enjoy!
I hate when people give the whole plot away, so I won't, but I will say take note of the opening scene it is a reconstruction of what was actually a quite horrifying true event. What Joon-ho Bong the Director does is extrapolate from that event and using an accessible entertaining film subtly comments on the real horrors that such cavalier attitudes will lead us to and no I don't mean the monster - state interference; state indifference, rumour and obfuscation; deliberate demonising everything we can see already in a world deliberately being taught to be afraid of its own shadow.
And the finale - Hollywood would never have the nerve.
Above all a cracking film - enjoy!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
The Host is a very funny witted film that brings horror, laughs and suspense all in one. The main plot of the film is about a family who fight to get there daughter back from a creature (which was created via toxic waste) who has taken her to the sewers. In this plot you see the family unfold and see the devastating effects of a conspiracy. I don't want to spoil it so that's all I say. The effects are brilliant I must say one of the best I have seen in a film. It looks more realistic then the CGI you get in most films these days. There is enough gore for the horror fans so there is no disappointment there. It is well worth a watch, a must see. Also note that there are subtitles in English. No English spoken in the film.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 233 reviews
3.4 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hollywood Gets a Severe Lesson in Monster Movie Mayhem
Believe the hype, The Host is that good.
For years now Asian cinema has been the very best at everything from action to romance to horror, there is no other market that can... Read more
For years now Asian cinema has been the very best at everything from action to romance to horror, there is no other market that can... Read more
Published 25 days ago by Colonel Decker
5.0 out of 5 stars
host dvd
I have seen this film before and have been after a copy for some time this is a good copy
Published 1 month ago by carolw
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than a Monster Movie
People expecting a big loud, brash monster movie will be hugely disappointed. Joon Ho-Bong's film is more than that. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rob Simpson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Forget tired old hollywood - go east!
I love the new breed of films form Eastern Europe and the Far East. you should too. full of new ideas and takes the "creature feature" to new heights. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Webscutter
1.0 out of 5 stars
The Host
This was not what I expected. I don't think it said anywhere that the Dvd was Korean with English subtitles. It was a very childish movie and I think a waste of money. Read more
Published 10 months ago by esmerelda
4.0 out of 5 stars
Silly, action-packed and fun!
Since the days of King Kong and Gozilla, audiences worldwide have enjoyed watching millions be terrorised on the big screen by giant monsters. Read more
Published 10 months ago by D Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing like Jaws or Jurassic Park....
I don't know why they compare The Host to Jaws and Jurassic Park on the DVD box. It really has nothing in common with those films. Read more
Published 13 months ago by bonemonkey
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Something dark in the water..."
It's pretty obvious where this film is going during the very first scene (set in a South Korean Laboratory) when an unreasonable senior demands that his assistant pour toxic... Read more
Published 14 months ago by @GeekZilla9000
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Thing from Korea...? A great creature feature.
Watched on DVD - highly entertaining. The Jurassic Park and Jaws comparisons are also valid. A sort of Godzilla for the noughties. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Man from poundstretcher
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great world cinema horror film gem
Woah!, what a brilliant, refreshing cult gem. I missed this original release and finally got to see it (in 2012) having heard major recommendations, and was more than pleasantly... Read more
Published 15 months ago by T. BROOKES
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Film & TV > Action & Adventure > Comedy
- Film & TV > Comedy
- Film & TV > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery
- Film & TV > Drama > Comedy
- Film & TV > English Subtitles
- Film & TV > Horror > Asian Horror
- Film & TV > Horror > Comedy Horror
- Film & TV > Horror > Foreign Horror Films
- Film & TV > Region 1
- Film & TV > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy & Futuristic
- Film & TV > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
