Reflection of the film “The Host”

Reflection of the film “The Host”

Reflection of the film “The Host”

In The Host,  director Bong Joon-ho utilizes the non-linear narrative structure to increase tension and intensify the characters. The story begins with a prologue from 2000; viewers witness where the creature came from due to formaldehyde, which was carelessly dumped into the Han River (Cagle, 2023). Here, the first, a small-scale conflict, also puts characters on different levels and pushes the main plot further. The narrative soars to 2006, while the action remains in this period, mainly on the family’s frantic efforts to run the creature who has captured their child (Lee, 2011). The technique of discontinuation gives the canonical time, which reveals information gradually and allows for proper pacing so that the audience plays an active part. Bong puts into place flashbacks and parallel storytelling to avail the story background for the characters, especially their relationships and the origins of their motivations. Providing a glimpse into Gang-du’s past and family life adds a touch of the emotional stress that he goes through on the quest to save his daughter.

The viewer of The Host faces multiple viewpoints, which help present the variety of observations of the situation. The audience can see the story from different viewpoints, such as those of the various characters, where we have Gang-du, his family members, the government officials, and the creature itself (Yoo, 2021). This multi-polar method animates the book, developing the characters and explaining why they act the way they do. The film’s cinematographer, Kim Hyung-koo, moves the viewers and introduces suggestions using dynamic camera work to depict the unanticipated events’ confusion and stress. The shots cover the whole Han River plus its surrounding scenery for the character’s start. However, the close-up that shows the feelings and responses of the main character gives a more personal view.

References

Cagle, R. (2023). The Films of Bong Joon Ho,. Quarterly Review of Film and Video, 40(4). https://doi.org/10.1080/10509208.2022.2148079

Lee, N. J. Y. (2011). Localized Globalization and a Monster National: The Host and the South Korean Film Industry. Cinema Journal, 50(3). https://doi.org/10.1353/cj.2011.0031

Yoo, S. K. (2021). Necropolitical metamorphoses: Bong Joon-ho’s the host and parasite. In Science Fiction Film and Television (Vol. 14, Issue 1). https://doi.org/10.3828/sfftv.2021.3