The Host Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

An alien parasite gets stuck in a girl’s head, and they both fall in love with the same two guys, which is way more complicated than your average love triangle, especially when the fate of humanity is at stake…or something.

🍿 The Host: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Invasion and Melanie’s Capture

In a future where Earth has been mostly taken over by alien ‘Souls’ who inhabit human bodies, Melanie Stryder is a young woman struggling to survive. The Souls aim to create a peaceful world by suppressing human consciousness, identified by their silver ringed eyes. Melanie is captured while trying to protect her brother, Jamie, and is implanted with a Soul called Wanderer.

The Emergence of Wanderer and Melanie’s Resistance

Wanderer is tasked with extracting Melanie’s memories to locate a hidden pocket of human resistance. However, Melanie’s consciousness persists, leading to an internal struggle for control. Melanie and Wanderer begin an unusual dialogue, influencing each other’s thoughts and actions. Wanderer learns of Melanie’s love for Jared and her desire to find her uncle Jeb in the desert.

The Journey to the Human Resistance

Melanie and Wanderer escape from the Soul community and journey into the desert, eventually finding Jeb and a group of surviving humans. They are initially met with suspicion and hostility, particularly from Jared, who struggles with Melanie’s altered state. Wanderer, now called Wanda, slowly begins to integrate into the group, forming bonds with Jamie and, unexpectedly, Ian.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Melanie Stryder (Saoirse Ronan): A defiant young woman who fights to retain her consciousness and protect her loved ones after being implanted with an alien soul.
• Wanderer (Saoirse Ronan): An empathetic alien ‘Soul’ who inhabits Melanie’s body and begins to question her species’ mission as she experiences human emotions and connections.
• Jared Howe (Max Irons): Melanie’s determined and initially hostile boyfriend who struggles to accept Wanderer’s presence in Melanie’s body.
• Ian O’Shea (Jake Abel): A human survivor who develops a unique connection with Wanderer, falling in love with her alien soul rather than Melanie’s physical form.
• The Seeker (Diane Kruger): A relentless and cruel Soul determined to eliminate the remaining humans and recapture Wanderer.
• Jeb Stryder (William Hurt): Melanie’s uncle and a leader of the human resistance, who reluctantly shelters Melanie and Wanderer.
• Jamie Stryder (Chandler Canterbury): Melanie’s younger brother who relies on Melanie/Wanderer for support

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Melanie: “I won’t give them anything.” – Melanie says this to herself vowing not to let Wanderer get any information about the human resistance.
• Wanderer: “What are you?” – Wanderer asks Melanie what humans are that makes them so special.
• Melanie: “You have to find them, Wanderer. You have to protect them.” – Melanie asks Wanderer to protect her loved ones.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $40,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $26,627,201
• Worldwide Gross: $63,365,859

💥 The Host Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so I went into this movie with zero expectations, and honestly, I was still a little underwhelmed. It’s not *terrible*, but it’s just… kinda there. Saoirse Ronan does her best, but the love square (yes, square!) is just too silly to take seriously. The internal dialogue thing was interesting at first, but quickly became repetitive and annoying. Honestly, the silver cars were probably the coolest thing about the whole movie. I think I preferred it more than the Twilight movies.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of science fiction romance”
  • “Viewers who enjoy stories about alien invasions with a twist”
  • “Readers of Stephenie Meyer’s books”
  • “Those who like movies with strong female leads”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Mild violence”
  • “Some thematic elements involving body snatching”
  • “Brief suggestive content”

Professional Reviews

• Entertainment Fuse: “Ronan rises above the material, though the two men she is conflicted about are blank slates. Neither actor has much of a personality, and they are very indistinguishable from each other. At least Hurt and Kruger look like they were having fun with their roles and were highly professional with their performances.
• N/A: “I found that the narrative form was quite ineffective and the dialogs were so dull that not a single piece of “philosophy” can be extracted. On the top of all that, the love story is foretold and occupies the 3/4 of the scenes. And the acting was so lame, you can’t relate to the characters.
• N/A: “It is kind of similar to the recent young adult novel based film, Warm Bodies, except the antagonists in The Host are virtuous beings instead of ravenous monsters. It seems that both stories have the same morality. Humans are not the most peaceful beings either and maybe the order and mentality of both sides are the reason why they couldn’t get along.

Audience Reactions

Some found the story’s unique twist on romance intriguing, while others found it cheesy and dull.: Mixed opinions on acting with the character development. Some found the acting beautiful, others found it dull.

Overall Consensus: A movie of contrasts, with a unique concept that gets bogged down by a predictable romance and a slow pace. Worth a watch if you’re a fan of the book, but probably skippable for most others.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The director, Andrew Niccol, also wrote the screenplays for ‘Gattaca’ and ‘The Truman Show’.”
• “Stephenie Meyer, the author of ‘The Host’, is also the author of the ‘Twilight’ series.”

🖥️ How to Watch The Host?

The Host is available for streaming on various platforms. You can find it on demand on Prime Video, Apple TV, and other streaming services where you can rent or purchase the movie. Check your local listings for availability.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed The Host, you might like these similar films:

• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978): A direct comparison, focusing on alien entities taking over human bodies.
• Twilight (2008): Written by the same author, Stephanie Meyer, and features a romance intertwined with supernatural elements.
• Gattaca (1997): Directed by Andrew Niccol, it explores a futuristic society with themes of identity and prejudice.
• Warm Bodies (2013): A modern equivalent that blends romance with a post-apocalyptic setting and examines the potential for connection between different species.

🛒 The Host Related Products

• The Host: A Novel: Dive deeper into the story with the original novel by Stephenie Meyer, featuring extended scenes and a richer exploration of the characters’ inner worlds.
• The Host Movie Poster: Decorate your space with a high-quality print of ‘The Host’ movie poster, capturing the essence of the film’s unique blend of sci-fi and romance. A great piece of room decor.
• Lotus Elise Model Car: Own a miniature replica of the sleek, silver Lotus Elise featured in the film, a symbol of the alien ‘Seekers’ and their advanced technology.
• The Host Fan T-Shirt: Show your allegiance with a comfortable t-shirt featuring a logo or iconic image from ‘The Host,’ available in various sizes and styles.

🎧 Soundtrack

The Host features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “Radioactive” – performed by Imagine Dragons

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

THE HOST (The Gwoemul Monster that Terrorised South Korea & Ending) EXPLAINED

Ever wondered what makes Bong Joon-ho’s ‘The Host’ tick? This video breaks down the movie’s plot and themes, offering a fascinating look at the environmental and social issues it explores.

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