One of the best monster movie...

I wrote about the Korean movie 'The Host' a few months ago. Since reading about its release, I was very much looking forward to watching it. However there was no news of its immediate release in our local cinemas. I was in Bangkok last week and was so excited when I found out that it was showing there.


The synopsis is as follows:

Hee-bong is the owner of a small food stand in the Han River Citizen's Park. Gang-du is one of his three children, a man who seems a bit slow mentally and whose one motivating strength is a devotion to his schoolage daughter Hyun-seo. Rounding out the family is Nam-joo, an amateur competitive archer and her brother Nam-il (Park Hae-il), who is unemployed and always gets drunk.

When the creature snatches the young Hyun-seo away, the family stands together fight the monster and rescue her before she becomes fish food.

If this movie had been produced in Hollywood, you would probably get a team of military guys fighting the monster. However the director goes beyond stereotypes and plays out the monster story in a totally new and unique way focusing on the strength of the family. The story combines a little bit of comedy, drama and thriller. And I tell you there are definitely some scenes which will make you jump out of your seat!

The monster effect is one of the best I've seen, even from Hollywood. The movement of the creature is very nicely done, especially when it swings from the bridge with its tail.


I find some parts of the movie too draggy. I wish they would show more of the monster. Even then, this is one of the best monster movies I've seen. For your info, in just over a month of its release, this movie has set a new record in Korean box office with viewers over 12.4 millions.