Movie Review: The Host

Meyer, S., Weschler, N., Schwartz, P., & Schwartz, P. M. (Producer). Niccol, A. (Director). (2013). The host. [Motion picture]. United States: Metropolitan Filmexport. 125 minutes

Primary genre: Science fiction

Other elements: romance, family, friendship, survival

Rated: PG-13

Synopsis:

Earth has been invaded by extraterrestrials but these are not typical aliens. These aliens know as ‘Souls’ take over human bodies and have made our planet a better place by eradicating hunger, war, and diseases. Melanie Stryder and her younger brother, Jamie, have managed to evade these aliens; they have even met up with another human. But one night when they are on their way to their uncle, and safe haven he has set up, they are found. Melanie sacrifices herself to give her brother and lover the chance to escape. When Melanie is injected with her Soul, she does not willingly fade into the background. She fights to remain a presence in her body and to save the family she loves more than anything.

Review:

I read the book when it first came out and this was at the height of Stephanie Meyer-mania because of the Twilight series. It was interesting to me how they made the movie into a young adult/ tween interest considering that the demographic the book was trying to hit was adults; at least adults in their early 20’s who might have felt they were too old for Twilight. I was able to see this with my 13-year-old cousin, which did give me a little peak into the tween interest in this.

In the book, I remember Melanie being described as 20-something but in the movie they did a great job of finding a girl who looked closer to 16 and they never actually mention her age. Because they were hoping to bring in those fans of the Twilight series (the tweens and teens) they had to find an actress that was in that age bracket. For the movie, they also removed some of the more promiscuous scenes or downplayed them. The movie focused on the kissing scenes and only alluded to the more adult forms of physical interaction.

I wished after reading the book and again after seeing the movie that Meyer had focused more on the alien/ human confrontation. The ‘Souls’ came in thinking that we (humans) were struggling. They saw the wars, the fighting, the hunger, the masses dying from curable diseases, and felt that their presence would be of help not only to us but also to sustaining the earth. There was so much left unexplored in the movie and the book. Meyer did as she did in Twilight and appealed to those inclinations for all encompassing love. It is a nice notion, but there was a great amount of room for the questions of humanity and souls to be further explored. They did end this as Meyer did in the book, so it will be interesting to see if they make a sequel for the movie at least.