Six friends hire a medium to hold a seance over a Zoom call during
lockdown, but something demonic is accidentally summoned. HORROR
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Host (2020)Directed by Rob Savage
Written by Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd Starring Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb, Radina Drandova, Caroline Ward, Seylan Baxter, Edward Linard |
With today’s extraordinarily trying times, it was only inevitable before we got a film based on it. And it doesn’t really surprise me horror was the one to beat everyone to the punch. Because, you see, horror works very well when it utilizes what is currently happening in the real world to tell its story. Something the film being discussed here does extremely well. Host is film which has taken the horror community by storm. A film which I have been constantly told to watch since my return back from deployment. So, I decided to finally watch it. And, boy, was I in for a treat. A treat which turned out to be one of the most creative, creepy, and briskly-paced horror films in recent years. Emphasis on briskly-paced. Filmmakers, seriously, look at this film’s runtime for when you’re making one. It was refreshing.
I really have to stress how creative this film is. See, I have to because at first glance, it’s another run of the mill horror movie. In recent years, we’ve gotten a deluge of found footage type of films which take place only on some came of social media platform like Skype, Facetime, or, in this case, Zoom. So, no, the presentation isn’t entirely original. But the filmmakers make up for this by smartly tapping into everyone’s fear and paranoia by utilizing the COVID-19 pandemic as a part of its story device. It’s not cheap. It’s not exploitative. It’s a smart way to both tell the story and immediately give the audience something to relate to. This isn’t the only trick up the filmmakers’ sleeve, though. They back this up with some of the most terrifying scares and unsettling imagery in recent horror history. I can’t praise this film enough. Suffice to say, I was genuinely impressed by what I saw. This is a tightly paced, creepy, and creative horror film. If you have a Shudder subscription, seek this out as soon as you can. You won’t regret it. Just don’t use Zoom after. And, again, filmmakers, pay attention to the runtime. |
In addition to being a fun, creepy ghost movie, Host is also quite possibly the shortest movie that will ever be reviewed on this site. Clocking in at a tight 57 minutes, Host is the first film to feature the world according to COVID-19, with lockdown and masks being written into the story. This one is made for the horror buffs like me who just dig this shit. Six friends summon a demon during a Zoom call seance, and the entity fucks with them for nearly an hour before taking them all out. Nice, wholesome family fun right there.
Our featured players are Haley, Jemma, Emma, Radina, Caroline, and Teddy, though he drops out for most of it. They're all friends who are forced to hang out on Zoom because of this virus that's fucking up everything we love right now. So, to spice up their game night, Haley brings in a medium named Seylan, who leads the group in a seance. But when Jemma mocks the spirits, the spirits push back, trapping the girls in a nightmare of their own creation. Some of the spooks are creepy, and the atmosphere of the film is perfect. It's a little too close to Unfriended at times, but I expected as much. There's not a lot you can do differently with the "e-mail from beyond the grave" subgenre. Host will satisfy your horror cravings and your lockdown blues by reminding you that we're all in this together. Just don't awaken the dead with your boredom. With this virus pummeling the world and California on fire yet again, the last thing we need right now is the dead rising from the grave. But if you like ghost movies, found footage movies, and short movies, this one is right up your alley. |