"The Host" - B -

So far, I've had pretty good luck with Korean cinema. Everything I've seen from our overseas friends has been original and entertaining; I really like how they tell stories on film.

I had heard a lot of great things about the movie, "The Host," and I've been saving it for a special occasion. And since it's a monster flick, our special One Month of Horror project seemed as good a time as any to spin that disc.

It's monster time: It's just another lovely day along the Han River for slacker Park Gang-Du. He's "helping" his father with the family snackshop eatery, sleeping the day away while his young daughter focuses on her studies.

Of course, the only thing that could ruin such an idyllic scene would be the arrival of a raging mystery beast from the river's depths. So in true movie monster fashion, the city is attacked by a creature with awesome speed, strength and taste for human flesh.

And Gang-Du's family becomes excessively entangled with all the action and intrigue ....

Destroy all monsters!: This is our first "monster movie" in the big pot o' pics (I don't consider vampire movies in the same category). And "The Host" — aka "Gwoemul" — successfully advances beyond the traditional "mankind learns the error of his ways" storyline common to similar sci-fi ventures.

"The Host" uses lite comedy and dramatic elements to produce a harmonic tale of people trying to overcome super-human circumstances. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments, good dramatic conversations, lots of action and rather good CG monster effects. The "horror" or "fright" aspects rely on the tension of the beast stalking the characters you care about.

If the author of the Wikipedia entry about this film is to be believed, "Gwoemul" enjoyed more than 13 million first-run theater viewings last year, making it the most profitable film in South Korea's history. It's a good film with a lot of positives going for it; however, it isn't "the greatest monster movie ever made" as some people might suggest. There are just a few patching spots that give it a little trouble, but the story moves along well otherwise.

If you are curious, give this one a rent or borrow it or add it to your Netflix list. And for pete's sake, don't be lazy — watch it with the original Korean audio and the English subtitles (unless you speak or understand Korean). You'll get more out of it that way!

Grade: B - (monsters rule!)