(2013) The Host
SCIENCE-FICTION THRILLER
Underrated and original, co-written and directed by Andrew Niccol the dude who made 1997 "Gattaca" and co-wrote "The Truman Show" which they're way too many viewers who are still hung up on their "Twilight" movies. And the fact they know that it's based on a Stephanie Meyer's book turns viewers off which viewers are looking for reasons to hate this movie rather than enjoying it for what it is. It just seems viewers in general are unable to look pass this movie as another alien invasion movie. You know, upon attempting to even watch the first "Twilight" movie, I was unable to watch anymore after the first 10 minutes into it, and so far had never looked back. But upon seeing this movie, I was able to watch it all the way through, as the movie dealt with revelations and a somewhat complicated scenario that it would demand viewers full attention to it's dialogue. By looking at some of the criticisms, some had said that their wasn't enough romance or that it's too cheesy, but to tell you the truth, I hardly saw any romance at all, because it addresses a couple of what if's! Such as what if the alien is attracted to a different human being that's not the same as the one you're originally accustomed with, for the only criticism that I agree with from the overall consensus is that it's somewhat influenced by the original 1956 version of "The Invasion Of The Body Snatchers"- the aftermath that is- not the 1978 version starring Donald Sutherland. The reason is that much of the aliens had already inhabited much of the planet earth already, and at first viewers assumed that the aliens intentions are violent which that may not be the case at all. If viewers remember their science-fiction classics there's also inspired remnants of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" but on a different level. Starring Saoirse Ronan who in my opinion, is a much better actress than the 'one- note' and amateurish Kirsten Stewart on the Twilight movies, she plays Melanie Stryder who's attempting to run away from these alien- like captors, which you can tell by looking at their eyes. She jumps out of a second or third story window, and the aliens revive her, but this time with one of them injecting a liquid into her so that she can cooperate with them. Although, her alien self gave herself a new name called Wanda, short for "wanderings" her original self, Melanie still has a presence inside of her and is still alive. The reason is that was so, that her new alien self would retrieve information on clues and hints of other leads regarding other human beings whereabouts, operating like an underground movement. For the objective is evident, but the reasons are still not clear until near the end since the alien self, Wanda did submit a reason. One of them is so that they can take over the earth as they had successfully inhabited other planets. At first, we assume that once aliens had inhabited someone's body like in "The Invasion of The Body Snatchers" or even "The Thing", that their original self can't be revived again, but in this original film it's direction is completely the opposite which the reason we watch these kind of movies is so that we are able to see things that may not be possible in real life. What is wrong with this concept, it is because theirs nothing wrong with it, and may be the first intelligent movie author Stephanie Meyer had ever done since she took up writing.
