The Host: Movie Review

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I've been really having a hard time writing this review for The Host.  I saw the movie a day before it was released, and here I am two months later finally writing a review for a movie that sadly got pushed aside and forgotten, with about a $26,564,000 domestic gross, and about $48,154,000 Worldwide.  Not very good numbers for a potential franchise hoping to cash in on the Twilight phenomenon.

I've never read the Twilight books, but I have read The Host.  The story honestly captivated me, and I couldn't wait to see it in theaters.  To date I've been twice.

Where the book succeeds the movie fails, and vice versa.

 For those who don't know, Earth has just been invaded by a group of aliens called Souls.  They're body-snatchers, unable to live outside of a shell, so they travel the Universe, living the lives and cultures of others.  They've done this on many other World's, and we're merely the next in line.  They take over, and soon our consciousness is erased, searching our memories to blend in.  There's no violence, theft, murder, war . . . they claim to be a peaceful race, only what they've committed is silent mass genocide.  They don't see it that way.

Then comes Melanie, a girl on the run who's survived the first several waves of captor, until she's cornered and gets taken over.  "Wanderer" is the Soul implanted in Melanie, but when Melanie is supposed to disappear, she remains: Watching, commenting, and trying to gain control.  But this story isn't so much about Melanie, but about Wanderer and what she gains while living here.

But unlike the other Worlds the Souls have taken over, our species is different.  We have emotion, distinction, family, motherhood, and relationships, things the Souls have never experienced on other Worlds.

That aspect never fully made it into the movie.  There's semblances, but the limited time a motion picture film is allowed actually hurt the movie in the long run.  The long book is able to fully explore the themes behind being human and our right to be ourselves.  Yes, there is the love quadruple, but there are many relationships Wanderer (Wanda) makes in the book that is cut in the movie, and these relationships help her develop.

She's also majorly beat up in the book.  Seriously harmed, whereas in the movie she is only slapped.  I read somewhere that either the director or the writer didn't like this fact, but it proves Wanderer's patients and strength, and how she is different then Melanie.  What she is willing to endure.

There is a beautiful friendship with the Doctor that all but disappears in the movie.  It's a relationship of trust and understanding.  But where Wanderer fully grows is through her relationship with Walter.  A minor character that dies of cancer in the book, so minor he's no where to be found in the movie, but so pivotal to Wanderer that his loss actually dampers her growth.

What the movie gets right the book gets wrong; What the book gets right the movie gets wrong.

None of the other Worlds are explained in the movie, and though it seems like an easy removal for times sake, those scenes were some of the most interesting in the book, and necessary for understanding Souls and the complex, unique situation found on Earth.  And they're necessary for understanding Wanderer, because of the many Planets she's lived on, which is quite rare for her species.  Most Souls live one or two lives before settling on a Planet to experience an eternity living as a single race over and over again.  Earth is Wanderers 9th Planet, and because of her experience and knowledge she is celebrated by her people.  She's never found a place that feels like home.

Some changes I did like in the movie was that some minor characters die who didn't beforehand.  This shows the value the rebels place on Freedom.  The lengths they are willing to go to protect and remain free.  And I also prefer the movies ending.  There are aspects to the way the book ended that didn't sit well with me.  I much prefer the way things are tied up in the movie.

Because of the deletion of some developments in the book, this movie does play a little more Twilight then is found in the written word, with the focus being on the love story.  There are some sweet moments in the movie between Melanie and her brother Jamie, and I like the glowworm cave.  Nice touch.

Beyond that, I was impressed with the acting of Saoirse Ronan, who plays both Melanie and Wanderer, though the voice over work did get annoying at times.  I really don't like Melanie.  Didn't like her in the book; don't like her in the Movie.  I don't like Jared, either.  Just throwing that out there.  I really loved Diane Kruger's performance as the Seeker.  Always strong.  There are some tweaks to here character for the movie that I actually like.

Overall I did like the movie, and I wish more will follow, though at this point I don't think that's going to happen.  I would have loved to see where the story goes.  (As a note there's supposed to be two more books, so at least we'll have that.)

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence