Once upon a time while at the power station we learned what Koreans like in their movies - they want action and they want it simple. While their directors are more than capable of making sublime movies such as spring summer fall winter ... spring they helm such thrillers such as Shiri, Volcano High and now The Host - Korea's highest grossing box office movie. This time "the host" is spawned from the formaldehyde concentration poured into the water by the evil Americans which tale of is spun by American disinformation and propaganda.
The Host is a simple morality tale for the ages - Americans bad for the environment, Korean spirit and gumption saves the day. Surprisingly the movie touches upon all the emotional bases - playing as a comedy, but also as a thriller which touched genuine horror witnessed by a shocked viewer in the crowd - and even a touch of pathos.
After unsafely disposing of bottles upon bottles of formaldehyde into the nearby Han river from an American military base stationed in Korea, the passage of time reveals something is growing in the river. 'How many tails did it have?'
A father and his son and his son make a living at a food stand by the river - selling the proverbial ramen noodles in a paper bowl which come to life after hot water is poured over them to barbecued squid. They watch as his sister and his daughter compete in the archery competition - where her deliberateness and slowness proves to be her achilles heel.
After the day of the competition life will never be the same for them all. The creature is spotted in the water and the curious onlookers by the beach try to feed it - unwittingly becoming lunch themselves in a moment straight out of Jaws the movie.
The Host is an ecological commentary mixed in with a chilling spin on the monster from the deep genre - The Host is also a testament to the fortitude of the Korean family who stick together and in their odd quirky manners set out to save their youngest sibling - and to the restorative soothing power of noodles.
No comments:
Post a Comment