The Host

When a man-made monster snatches a young girl from Seoul’s riverbank, her dysfunctional family sets out to save her in Bong Joon-ho’s genre-bending creature feature.

When an American scientist orders his assistant to pour toxic chemicals into Seoul’s Han River, something starts to grow beneath the surface. Years later, locals spot a strange amphibious creature lurking in the water.

Park Gang-du helps his father run a snack bar in Hangang Park, not far from the sightings. When the monster storms the riverbank and tears through a crowd of picnickers, Gang-du charges in. But in the chaos, he loses sight of his young daughter, Hyun-seo, and the creature drags her back to its lair.

Keen to keep this man-made monster under wraps, the military steps in and quarantines Gang-du and his family. Convinced Hyun-seo is still alive, the family breaks out and sets off to hunt the creature down alone. Now they must outrun the military and outwit a monster to bring her home.

Curator’s note
Bong Joon-ho’s epic monster movie shapeshifts as much as the amphibian-like creature at its centre. Part horror, part comedy, part political commentary and part dysfunctional family drama, The Host hooks you with its personal stakes.

As pointed in its social commentary as Bong’s Oscar-winning Parasite, the film draws a stark portrait of Korea’s historical trauma, shaped by American interference, military dictatorships and government ineptitude.

Like any great monster movie, The Host understands that the creature is a stand-in for all the horrors the world throws at us, and that our only chance of survival is to hang on to our humanity.

Australian premiere of a new 4K restoration.