The Host

As with most fantasy films, one must go to the theater expecting total implausibility and incredibility. The list goes on and on: "Star Wars", "Jurassic Park", "Planet of the Apes", "The Living Dead", "Twilight", "Event Horizon", "Fantastic Voyage", "Olympus has Fallen", "Ghost Rider", "Westworld", etc, etc, etc. Now we have "The Host" to add to that never ending list.

What if everything or one you love was taken away from you in the blink of an eye? This is the next epic love story from the creator of the "Twilight Saga", author Stephenie Meyer. When an unseen enemy lead by the Seeker (Diane Kruger) threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan) will risk everything to protect the people she cares about most--Jared Howe (Max Irons), Ian O'Shea (Jake Abel), her brother Jamie (Chandler Canterbury), and her Uncle Jeb (William Hurt), proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world where the Souls (Seekers) are in conflict with the Humans.

Others to round out the cast are Frances Fisher as Maggie, Boyd Holbrook as Kyle, Lee Hardee as Aaron, Scott Lawrence as Doc, Mustafa Harris as Brandt, Marcus Lyle Brown as Healer Fords, and Michael Parker as Seeker Wolfe.

This was adequately written and directed by Andrew Niccol ("Gattaca" '97, "The Truman Show" (wrote only) '98, "S1m0ne" '02, "Lord of War" '05, "In Time" '11). There were pluses and minuses to the writing here. Pluses are that Niccol used a voice over of Melanie being trapped in her body, where Wanda the Soul that was placed in her when she was caught by the Seekers, could speak only. This was an interesting concept. It really gave you the feeling that two entities were inhabiting one body without it being confusing. The minuses were that it seemed a bit choppy in places, and it was a little long-in-the-tooth. This was 125 minutes whereas 15 minutes less would have sufficed. I felt this was certainly a more interesting premise than that of Meyer's "Twilight Saga",because it just had a little more meat to it.

This leaves one with an open-ended conclusion. Depending on the outcome of the box office clearly depends whether or not there will be a continuation or a sequel. If Meyer is lucky at all, do we see "The Host 2" in a year or two? Only time will tell.

Out of 4 Stars: 2.5                        Rated: PG-13                         125mins.