I believe everyone noticed the catchy annotation on the poster of ‘The Host’: Based on the best-selling novel by Stephanie Meyer. Well it says more about the film than any review, it’s not true of course it’s just my sarcasm talking to you.

Those who are familiar with the previous work of the writer will know what to expect in the cinema. If you liked the Twilight saga series and its adaption on the big screen, you can blindly stand in the queue for the ticket to the film. The rest of you should think twice if you don’t want to end up like Vincent van Gogh. I must admit that the flowery dialogue that flowed on the screen hurt my ears so much that only amputation would have been the best way to reduce my suffering. However, the dialogue was not the main problem of the film. The problem is the writer herself, who, in my opinion, is just a bad one. No matter what genre she tackles (first a vampire story and now sci-fi) she always treats it as a pretext for a harlequin story.

The story takes place on Earth after the invasion of alien ‘body snatchers’. Melanie, the main protagonist (Saoirse Ronan), is implanted with the newcomer called Wanda, a little shiny thing that looks like a sea weed, which is unable to enjoy its new host because Melanie’s restless voice tries to stop Wanda from taking over her body and mind. In the meantime, two handsome guys, Jared (Max Irons) and Ian (Jake Abel) try to compete for her attention. One was the love of her life, at a time when she didn’t carry the stellar alien in her, and the other one is fascinated by the remarkable personality of Wanda. The problem is that the guys never know when they deal with Melanie or Wanda.

Wanda, instead of helping her kind to catch the humans, turns against her people thanks to Melanie’s persuasion. Her race for life begins or shall I say both girls race for life begins. Which way is Wanda going to choose? Is she going to let Melanie live by leaving her body or is she going to stay and start her new life among humans?

The whole story looks like it was taken from an absurd comedy of errors. Embarrassing acting, no interesting plot and boredom fills the cave, where two- thirds of the film takes place, and where all the human characters are hidden away from the aliens.

What surprised me the most was that it wasn’t a Hollywood blockbuster as previously announced. Only in 2 or 3 scenes were special effects used on screen. The vision of the future hardly differs from the world we see outside of our windows. Only Hunters, aliens engaged in catching the rebellious human beings, are different. However, their clothing (suits and pristine white overalls) and their taste in automobiles (Lamborghini, motorcycles and helicopters) indicate either a lack of the writers’ ( Stephanie Meyers and Andrew Niccol) imagination or tasteless extraterrestrial civilization. Maybe aliens are greater than men in terms of technology, but in terms of style they have a long way to go.

Summing up the film was a disaster. Apart from the impressive cinematography by Roberto Schaefer and score by Antonio Pinto there is nothing positive I could say about The Host. It is sad knowing that Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger and Max Irons are good performers. I do not know how they could have failed so badly in the film. I look forward to seeing the new Max Irons’ film where he will portray, one of the greatest classical musician, Vivaldi. I really want him to redeem himself as an actor.

Written by Maggie Gogler