The Host starts at the last half hour of most Sci-Fi movies. In the future, Earth has been inhabited by an alien race. That is, almost all the humans here have. There are a few people left whose bodies have not been taken over, and they are fighting back. Melanie is part of the resistance who throws herself out a window instead of being captured. However, she lives and has an Alien called "Wanderer" implanted into her body. But Melanie's mind refuses to give in and so Wanderer now has a voice in her head of the girl who was fighting their race. She convinces Wanderer to find her family while the other aliens try to track "them" down.
Cast
Saoirse Ronan as Melanie Stryder/Wanderer
Jake Abel as Ian O'Shea
Max Irons as Jared Howe
Chandler Canterbury as Jamie Stryder
Frances Fisher as Maggie Stryder
Diane Kruger as The Seeker
William Hurt as Jeb Stryder
Who will like this:
This is what Fred Savage's character in The Princess Bride would describe as a "kissing movie". It is an obvious move to scoop up some left over Twilight fans. There is not so much a love triangle, as it is a love rectangle. There are two personalities in one body, which puts a damper on your love life if they are each attracted to two different people. As a space invasion movie, the most obvious reference would be Invasion of the Body Snatchers. But I found similarities to The Arrival with Charlie Sheen as well.
Phantom Thoughts
There is a lot going on here, which gives me the feeling that it is the pilot episode of a new Sy-Fy channel series rather than a movie. It is most definitely geared toward the teen audience trying to fill the void left by the end of the Twilight series, as I stated before. In fact, there is an appearance of Emily Browning in this movie, who was originally picked for the role of Bella.
There is a lot of kissing in this movie. A LOT. I hope Saoirse Ronan invested in Chapstick before taking on this role. She plays the girl with two beings in one body, and as the alien "Wanderer" starts to fall for a human boy, Melanie's heart belongs to a boy who she met while on the run with her little brother. The kissing is not only done out of romance, but to invoke feelings in the other personality as well. Like I said, there is a lot.
But it's not all as ridiculous as it sounds. The alien race are jellyfish like creatures that can only live in the bodies of other beings. They are not aware that what they are doing is wrong. There is a group of "police" that are trying to find the remaining humans left in the world to give them hosts as well. When Wanderer/Melanie refuses to help find them and then escapes to look for them herself, one of these police agents called The Seeker makes it her personal mission to find her. At points, she expresses emotions and actions that are more human than alien, and is relentless in her hunt.
So what exactly ARE the Phantom's thoughts? Well, if it actually WAS a pilot episode for a series, I would probably watch it. It was alright, but it's not gonna be a blockbuster or win any awards or anything.
*Post review edit: This was the last movie famed film critic Roger Ebert reviewed before passing away April 4th 2013. He gave it 2.5 stars out of 4.
Until next time, see you in the center seat.
