''The Host'' is a 2013 American
romantic science fiction thriller film
This is a list of science fiction thriller films.
__NOTOC__
0–9
* '' The 5th Wave''
* ''10 Cloverfield Lane''
* ''2012'' (2009)
* '' 24'' (2016)
A
* ''Air''
* ''Alien Hunter''
* ''Aliens''
* '' The Andromeda Strain''
* ''The Astronaut's ...
written for the screen and directed by
Andrew Niccol
Andrew Niccol (born 10 June 1964) is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. He wrote and directed '' Gattaca'' (1997), ''Simone'' (2002), ''Lord of War'' (2005), ''In Time'' (2011), '' The Host'' (2013), and ''Good Kill'' (2014). H ...
based on the 2008 novel
of the same name by
Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer (; née Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire romance series ''Twilight'', which has sold over 100 million copies, with translations into 37 differ ...
. The film stars
Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Una Ronan ( , ; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas since adolescence, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations fo ...
,
Jake Abel
Jacob Allen Abel (born November 18, 1987) is an American actor. He has appeared in the film adaptations of the young adult novels ''Percy Jackson'' (2010–2013), ''I Am Number Four'' (2011), and '' The Host'' (2013), along with portraying musi ...
,
Max Irons
Maximilian Paul Diarmuid Irons (born 17 October 1985) is an English-Irish actor and model. He is known for his roles in films such as ''Red Riding Hood'' (2011), '' The White Queen'' (2013), '' The Host'' (2013), '' Woman in Gold'' (2014), ''Th ...
,
Frances Fisher
Frances Louise Fisher (born May 11, 1952) is a British-born American actress. She began her career in theatre and later starred as record executive Suzette 'Red' Saxon in the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Guiding Light'' (1985). In film, she is ...
,
Chandler Canterbury
Chandler Canterbury (born December 15, 1998) is an American former child actor.
Life and career
Canterbury was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Kristine and Russell Canterbury. He has an older brother, Colby, who is also an actor, and a younge ...
,
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Kruger became known for her roles in ...
, and
William Hurt
William McChord Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) was an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he received various awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor.
H ...
. It tells the story of a young woman, Melanie, who is captured after the human race has been taken over by parasitic aliens called "Souls". After Melanie is infused with a "Soul" called "Wanderer", Melanie and the alien "Soul" vie for control of her body.
''The Host'' was released theatrically in the United States on March 29, 2013, by
Open Road Films
Open Road Films, LLC (formerly Global Road Entertainment from 2017 to 2018) is an American film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by Eric Hohl on March 26, 2011 as a joint venture between the t ...
. The film received mostly negative reviews from critics and grossed $63.3 million worldwide against a budget of $40 million.
Plot
Small parasitic aliens called "Souls", who travel to planets inserting themselves into a host body of that planet's dominant species while suppressing the host's consciousness, have taken over the human race. Deeming humans too violent to deserve the planet, they have now almost successfully conquered Earth. The original owner's consciousness is erased, but the Souls can access the host's memories, and occupied hosts are identifiable by silver rings in their eyes.
A human on the run, Melanie Stryder, is captured and infused with a Soul called "Wanderer", whom a "Seeker" soul has asked to access Melanie's memories and learn the location of a pocket of unassimilated humans. Melanie's consciousness, however, has not been completely eliminated; she and Wanderer carry out an internal conversation and debate with each other, eventually becoming friends.
Wanderer tells Seeker that Melanie was traveling with her brother, Jamie, and her boyfriend, Jared Howe, to find Melanie's uncle Jeb in the desert. Wanderer admits that Melanie is still present, so Seeker decides to be transferred into Melanie's body to get the information herself. With Melanie’s guidance, Wanderer escapes to the desert, where Jeb finds her and takes her to a series of caves inside a mountain where the humans (including Jared and Jamie) are hiding.
Wanderer's presence is met with hostility by all but Jeb and Jamie. Melanie instructs Wanderer not to tell anyone she is still alive, since it would provoke them, though she later allows her to tell Jamie. Wanderer begins interacting with the humans and slowly starts gaining their trust, bonding with Ian O'Shea.
Seeker leads a search party into the desert. They intercept one of the shelter's supply teams, and in the ensuing chase, Aaron and Brandt commit suicide to avoid capture. During the chase, Seeker accidentally kills another Soul, leading her superiors to call off the search.
Jared and Kyle move to kill Wanderer, causing Jamie to reveal that Melanie's consciousness is alive. Jeb and Ian accept this, but Jared refuses to believe it until he strategically kisses Wanderer, provoking Melanie to take back control and slap him, proving to Jared that she is still alive. Kyle tries to kill Wanderer but endangers his own life, and Wanderer ends up saving him. Ian believes that Kyle attacked Wanderer and tells her he has feelings for her. Wanderer admits that Melanie's body is compelled to love Jared, but she has feelings of her own, and the two kiss.
Wanderer enters the community's medical facility and is shocked to discover that Doc has been experimenting with ways to remove Souls and allow the host's mind to regain control, resulting in the deaths of many Souls and hosts. After isolating herself for several days, Wanderer learns that Jamie is critically ill with an infection in his leg. She infiltrates a Soul medical facility to steal some alien medicine, saving Jamie's life.
Seeker has continued looking for Wanderer on her own, but Jeb captures her. Wanderer offers to show Doc how to properly remove Souls, on the condition that he later remove her from Melanie's body. Doc uses the technique to remove Seeker from her host, with both host and Soul surviving. Wanderer takes Seeker’s tiny alien form to a Soul space-travel site, where she sends it so far from Earth that it can not return for numerous generations.
Tired of the many lives she’s lived and finding it too painful to leave everyone behind, Wanderer makes Doc promise to let her die when she is removed and not tell anyone. The others in the shelter intervene with Doc, who inserts Wanderer into Pet, a human who was left brain-dead after the Soul inside her was removed. Now with a body of her own, Wanderer is able to be with Ian, while Melanie reunites with Jared.
A few months later, while on a supply run, Wanderer, Melanie, Ian and Jared are captured. They discover that their captors are humans, who reveal that there are several other human groups as well. They also learn that a Soul with this group has sided with the human resistance, as Wanderer has, and they may not be the last Souls to do so.
Cast
*
Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Una Ronan ( , ; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas since adolescence, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations fo ...
as Melanie "Mel" Stryder / Wanderer "Wanda"
*
Jake Abel
Jacob Allen Abel (born November 18, 1987) is an American actor. He has appeared in the film adaptations of the young adult novels ''Percy Jackson'' (2010–2013), ''I Am Number Four'' (2011), and '' The Host'' (2013), along with portraying musi ...
as Ian O'Shea
*
Max Irons
Maximilian Paul Diarmuid Irons (born 17 October 1985) is an English-Irish actor and model. He is known for his roles in films such as ''Red Riding Hood'' (2011), '' The White Queen'' (2013), '' The Host'' (2013), '' Woman in Gold'' (2014), ''Th ...
as Jared Howe
*
Frances Fisher
Frances Louise Fisher (born May 11, 1952) is a British-born American actress. She began her career in theatre and later starred as record executive Suzette 'Red' Saxon in the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Guiding Light'' (1985). In film, she is ...
as Magnolia "Maggie"
*
Chandler Canterbury
Chandler Canterbury (born December 15, 1998) is an American former child actor.
Life and career
Canterbury was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Kristine and Russell Canterbury. He has an older brother, Colby, who is also an actor, and a younge ...
as Jamie Stryder
*
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Kruger became known for her roles in ...
as Seeker & Lacey
*
William Hurt
William McChord Hurt (March 20, 1950 – March 13, 2022) was an American actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he received various awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor.
H ...
as Jebediah
*
Boyd Holbrook
Robert Boyd Holbrook (born September 1, 1981) is an American actor. He has starred in the Netflix series ''Narcos'' (2015-2017) as DEA agent Steve Murphy and '' The Sandman'' (2022-) as the Corinthian, as well as in the History miniseries '' Ha ...
as Kyle
*
Scott Lawrence
Scott Lawrence (born September 27, 1963) is an American actor best known for his role as Cmdr. Sturgis Turner on the CBS series '' JAG''. Lawrence played the role from 2001 until 2005, when the series ended. He is also known for being the maj ...
as Doc
*
Rachel Roberts as Soul Fleur
* Shawn Carter Peterson as Wes
* Lee Hardee as Aaron
[ ]
* Phil Austin as Seeker Waverly
* Raeden Greer as Lily
*
J. D. Evermore
J. D. Evermore is an American actor. He is known for playing the role of Thomas Silby in '' Treme'', Detective Lutz in ''True Detective'', Harley in '' The Walking Dead'', Carl Daggett in ''Rectify'', Holt in '' Maggie'', and as Dewey Revette in ' ...
as Trevor Stryder
*
Emily Browning as Pet (uncredited)
* Mustafa Harris as Brandt
*
Bokeem Woodbine
Bokeem Woodbine (born April 13, 1973) is an American actor. In 1994 he portrayed Joshua, Jason's troubled brother, in ''Jason's Lyric''. He won a Black Reel Award, and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Critics' Choice Television Awa ...
as Nate
*
Alex Russell as Seeker Burns
Production and development
Producers
Nick Wechsler Nick Wechsler may also refer to:
* Nick Wechsler (actor) (born 1978), American actor
* Nick Wechsler (film producer) (born 1949), American film producer
{{Hndis, Wechsler, Nick ...
, Steve Schwartz, and Paula Mae Schwartz acquired the film rights to ''The Host'' in September 2009, but
Open Road Films
Open Road Films, LLC (formerly Global Road Entertainment from 2017 to 2018) is an American film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by Eric Hohl on March 26, 2011 as a joint venture between the t ...
later acquired the film rights, and made
Stephenie Meyer
Stephenie Meyer (; née Morgan; born December 24, 1973) is an American novelist and film producer. She is best known for writing the vampire romance series ''Twilight'', which has sold over 100 million copies, with translations into 37 differ ...
,
Nick Wechsler Nick Wechsler may also refer to:
* Nick Wechsler (actor) (born 1978), American actor
* Nick Wechsler (film producer) (born 1949), American film producer
{{Hndis, Wechsler, Nick ...
, Steve Schwartz, and Paula Mae Schwartz the main producers.
Andrew Niccol
Andrew Niccol (born 10 June 1964) is a New Zealand screenwriter, producer, and director. He wrote and directed '' Gattaca'' (1997), ''Simone'' (2002), ''Lord of War'' (2005), ''In Time'' (2011), '' The Host'' (2013), and ''Good Kill'' (2014). H ...
was hired to write the screenplay and to direct the film. In February 2011,
Susanna White
Susanna White (born 1960) is a British television and film director.
Early life
White was born in England in 1960. She first became interested in films at 8 years old, when she visited the set of the BBC children's TV show Crackerjack, and aske ...
was hired to replace Niccol as director, but he later resumed the role in May 2011.
Saoirse Ronan
Saoirse Una Ronan ( , ; born 12 April 1994) is an American-born Irish actress. Primarily known for her work in period dramas since adolescence, she has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations fo ...
was also cast in May as Melanie Stryder/Wanderer. On June 27, the release date was set for the film for March 29, 2013, and it was also announced that
principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
would begin in February 2012, in
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
and
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...
.
Release
Distributed by
Open Road Films
Open Road Films, LLC (formerly Global Road Entertainment from 2017 to 2018) is an American film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by Eric Hohl on March 26, 2011 as a joint venture between the t ...
, the film was released theatrically on March 29, 2013. ''The Host'' was released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 9, 2013.
Reception
Box office
The film grossed $63,327,201 worldwide, of which $26,627,201 was from North America, and $36,700,000 from other territories. It opened at #6 at the US box office, and for its opening weekend grossed $10,600,112; screened at 3,202 theaters it averaged $3,310 per theater.
Critical response
''The Host'' was widely panned by critics. On
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which assigns a normalized rating based on reviews, the film has a score of 35 out of 100, based on 28 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".
On
CinemaScore polls, audiences gave the film a grade of "B−" on a scale of A+ to F.
Manohla Dargis
Manohla June Dargis () is an American film critic. She is one of the chief film critics for ''The New York Times''. She is a five-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.
Career
Before being a film critic for ''The New York Times'', ...
of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' gave the film an unfavorable review, calling it "a brazen combination of unoriginal science-fiction themes, young-adult pandering and bottom-line calculation".
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy (born February 16, 1950) is an American film critic and author. He wrote for '' Variety'' for 31 years as its chief film critic until 2010. In October of that year, he joined ''The Hollywood Reporter'', where he subsequently served ...
of ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...
'' felt that "it's cloaked in yawningly familiar teen-romance terms and cries out for even a little seasoning of wit, irreverence, political smarts and genre twists that, given the well-trod terrain, seem like requisites when presenting visions of the near future." Noah Berlatsky of ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
'' wrote: "The acting, as well as Andrew Niccol's writing and direction, are all awful; I can't in good conscience recommend that anyone see this film."
Roth Cornet of
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave it a "mediocre" score of 5/10, stating that the film is "unintentionally laughable" and "frustratingly absurd". Cornet says that it could have made an interesting story but that the contradictions of the peaceful but parasitic Souls were not fully explained, in the case of the character Seeker only given a shallow unsatisfying explanation. She praises Ronan for her performance and blames a "fundamentally flawed" script. Ben Kenigsberg of ''
Time Out'' magazine blames the source material, crediting Niccol for making the best of it, but primarily blaming the high-definition–video cinematography saying it makes "what once would have been a lush, grand-scale blockbuster appear cheap and televisual."
''The Host'' was the penultimate film to be reviewed by film critic
Roger Ebert before his death on April 4, 2013, and the last major film review to be published in his lifetime. He rated the film 2.5/4 stars, saying "''The Host'' is top-heavy with profound, sonorous conversations, all tending to sound like farewells. The movie is so consistently pitched at the same note, indeed, that the structure robs it of possibilities for dramatic tension."
Accolades
Saoirse Ronan was nominated for a
Teen Choice Award
The Teen Choice Awards is an annual awards show that airs on the Fox television network. The awards honor the year's biggest achievements in music, film, sports, television, fashion, social media, and more, voted by viewers living in the United ...
for her performance in ''The Host'', under the category "Choice Movie Actress: Sci-fi/Fantasy", but lost to
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2012, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Aca ...
for her performance in ''
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2''.
See also
* ''
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' is a 1956 American science fiction horror film produced by Walter Wanger, directed by Don Siegel, and starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter. The black-and-white film was shot in Superscope and in the film ...
''
*
''Twilight'' (series)
* ''
Parasyte
is a Japanese science fiction horror manga series written and illustrated by Hitoshi Iwaaki and published in Kodansha's ''Morning Open Zōkan'' and ''Monthly Afternoon'' magazine from 1988 to 1995. The manga was published in North Ame ...
''
References
External links
*
*
Stephenie Meyer's ''The Host'' webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Host
2013 films
2010s science fiction adventure films
2013 fantasy films
2013 romantic drama films
2013 thriller films
American romantic drama films
American fantasy films
American science fiction adventure films
American science fiction thriller films
American thriller films
Alien invasions in films
Apocalyptic films
American dystopian films
Films based on American novels
Films based on science fiction novels
Films based on works by Stephenie Meyer
Films directed by Andrew Niccol
Films shot in Louisiana
Films shot in New Mexico
Films about extraterrestrial life
Fiction about mind control
American post-apocalyptic films
Open Road Films films
Films about spirit possession
Fiction about parasites
Films scored by Antônio Pinto
2013 science fiction films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films