What happens when body snatchers start invading our planet? What happens when there are only a handful like yourselves, real 100% humans, left to fight for your existence? More importantly, what happens when you unwillingly become one of them – a host?
Originally written by Stephenie Meyer, “The Host” arrives in threaters hoping to strike the same chord that they did with the “Twilight” film installments. The question is, was it anywhere near the epicness that was the vampire-human love story?
For starters, we like how for the first time ever, aliens aren’t green and dripping with phlegmy goo while trying to eat people’s faces. We like how yes, they can in fact have a normal relationship with humans. But don’t for one second expect the relationship to be anywhere as sexy/steamy as the one in “Twilight”.
The aliens in “The Host” are called “Souls”, and good “Souls” they are. Their race believes in not lying, killing, or stealing. If anything, they thrive on wanting to help and seeking to live in harmony with others. You could call their planet Earth “invasion” a friendly one, save for the fact that each of these individual “Souls” will need to “reside” in a human being’s body during their stay.
How to tell a “Soul” from a human being? After a human being has been possessed by a “Soul”, their eyes would turn a striking light blue.
Melanie Stryder (played by Saoirse Ronan) is one of the many who falls into the hands of the “Souls”. She is then “taken over” by an alien named, “Wanderer”. However, Melanie is a strong one and she fights the possession, refusing to vacate her body and becomes the voice in Wanderer’s head. Wanderer, with Melanie’s help, then escapes the Souls’ surveillance to a sanctuary deep inside a cave in a desert, where the last remaining human beings are seeking refuge.
These human beings are none other than Melanie’s friends and family, a dearly loved one, and a brother.
Here’s also where it all begins – the rejection at first, the convincing them that she will cause them no harm, the love triangle. Ah, the love triangle. It reminds us only all too much of “Twilight” – one guy, Jared (played by Max Irons) is in love with Melanie (pre alien conversion) whereas the other, Ian (played by Jake Abel) is in love with Wanderer (alien).
And while Melanie/Wanderer tries to juggle with everything that’s seemingly happening all at once, the “Souls”, especially one “Seeker” (played by Diane Kruger) are hot on their heels on the hunt for Wanderer.
What’s a girl/alien to do? Will Melanie ever be able to reclaim her body? How will Wanderer manage to save these human beings, the ones that she has grown to love, from the grasps of the “Souls”?
Find out when you catch “The Host” in a cinema near you on 4th April 2013 (Thursday).
For more information, visit the movie’s Facebook page.