Forget Mickey 17, Better Check Out Another Bong Joon Ho Sci-Fi Comedy With 93% on RT
The film that revolutionized Korean cinema and satirized the topics that were raised in Mickey 17 almost 20 years ago.
On February 28, the long-awaited movie Mickey 17 was released. The premiere of Bong Joon Ho's film has been postponed several times: first due to Hollywood strikes, then due to lengthy post-production and re-editing.
Many viewers note that they expected more from the author of the Oscar-winning Parasite, as evidenced by the film's rating on Rotten Tomatoes – 77%.
At the same time, Mickey 17 is an excellent satire that combines witty humor with a humanistic message and criticism of capitalism. But you know what?
The director poked fun at almost the same thing almost 20 years ago in his The Host, which blends sci-fi horror and comedy, and which, sorry Robert Pattinson fans, is much better than Mickey 17.
What Is The Host About?
Scientists are developing new types of weapons in a secret laboratory. Through an absurd accident, some of the material ends up in a river through a pipeline.
The townspeople are unaware of this and walk along the riverbank. The peaceful landscape turns into a bloodbath when a terrible monster emerges from the water and begins to destroy everything around it, devouring people.
The Host Was a Breakthrough for the Korean Horror Genre
Released in 2006, The Host revolutionized the horror genre in South Korea. Bong Joon Ho's film broke all the conventions.
The monster was shown in full growth in the very first few minutes of the movie, and the rest of the time was devoted to the comic misadventures of a dysfunctional family rescuing their youngest daughter from the monster's lair.
The movie became so popular that the monster, which resembles an overgrown tadpole, became a meme and object of parody in the country.
The Host Is So Much More Than Just a Typical Monster Horror Film
A really good monster movie is always an allegorical story about something important, either concerning specific authors or all of humanity. The Host is an open criticism of the capitalism and corruption that caused the formaldehyde spill that gave birth to the monster.
Moreover, it is a full-fledged ecological horror – the monster emerging from the river is nothing but the embodiment of the irresponsible actions of citizens and the indifferent attitude of the authorities towards a possible ecological catastrophe.
Filled with witty and even slightly evil satire, The Host has something for everyone: family comedy, an environmental message, and criticism of the authorities and actions of ordinary citizens.
