I went to watch this movie on the week it came out at the cinema but didn't get to review it straight away, so this is now a retrospective review. For like, a month or so retrospective.I think Saoirse Ronan really did well with her portrayal of both Melanie Stryder and The Wanderer/Wanda. I think it was a brilliant performance indeed!
The movie followed the book quite closely as far as I can remember the book. And I liked that in the movie. However the ending for some reason was more exciting in the book than it happened in the movie. And I didn't rate the plot a high score because as far as I can see there wasn't much of a plot really. The entire thick book and/or the movie was all about the coming of age of Wanda and that was it! An introduction to the world of Wanda. But how the story was told is what made all the difference and this was translated well into the movie from how Stephenie Meyer told it in the book. Or maybe I saw it that way because I already knew the story going into the movie. Either way, I really like the way the story was told in the movie. Or the way the story unfolded in the movie. I guess that also contributed in making the world building a really beautiful one too. Or it could be that the world building was just simply masterful and intricate. Or maybe I am just being biased seeing that I am already an old fan of the book. Another positive thing about the movie is it seems that in the movie, my idea of the book was given a visual representation, and I liked that seeing that I am a "visual-touchy-feely" kind of reader.
So I enjoyed the movie and looking forward to reading the next book in The Host series. I hope that they will make a movie of it too and that they will do the same excellent job they did with this one!
Empirical Evaluation:
Cinematography = 4.5
Story itself = 4
Ending = 4
World building = 5
Attention to detail = 4.5
Acting = 4.5
Casting = 4.5
Plot = 3.5
Cherry Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries
The Host (2013) Trailer:
When an unseen enemy threatens mankind by taking over their bodies and erasing their memories, Melanie will risk everything to protect the people she cares most about, proving that love can conquer all in a dangerous new world.Source: Info in the About The Host (2013) was taken from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1517260 on 21/04/2013.
Movie Link(s):
YouTube
The book from which the movie was adopted from:
Book 1 of The Host series
Genre: dystopian science fiction/fantasy
About The Host :
Melanie Stryder refuses to fade away. The earth has been invaded by a species that take over the minds of human hosts while leaving their bodies intact. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, didn't expect to find its former tenant refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.Source: Info in the About The Host was taken from http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1656001.The_Host on 21/04/2013.
As Melanie fills Wanderer's thoughts with visions of Jared, a human who still lives in hiding, Wanderer begins to yearn for a man she's never met. Reluctant allies, Wanderer and Melanie set off to search for the man they both love.
Featuring one of the most unusual love triangles in literature, THE HOST is a riveting and unforgettable novel about the persistence of love and the essence of what it means to be human.
