Movie Of The Week (Personally The One I Was Most Excited About) : THE HOST directed by Andrew Niccol

I have given a lot of thought on how to write this post. You all know how much I love the book. It's my second favourite book in the whole world and I have been going on about it forever it seems. You all read the post where for Trailer of the Week I have chosen trailer for this exact  movie. Purely, for the fact that I have been counting down the days when this film comes out. I wanted to see it so badly. And probably I was not alone. Every fan of the book was counting down the days like me. 

So, on the day when the film hit the theatres, Good Friday (March 29th 2013) I was sat in the cinema, itching for the movie to start. I took two of my housemates with me so I could hear their opinions on the movie.

The reason why is because I am biased. I love the book too much so I could not watch it with eyes of person who was not compelled by it.

To be honest, since that day I took my sister to see it so I can create a more honest review of the film adaptation. But I am not sure if I can do it. But I will certainly try. 




So let's start then:

• Firstly, let's talk about the cast. We have Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons and Jake Abel who play our three main characters - Wanderer (Melanie), Jared and Ian. Personally I was really looking forward to see how Saoirse will cope with playing two different characters. But she did it brilliantly. I could honestly tell when she was Wanderer and when she was Melanie. I think Saoirse is a great actress and she did a fantastic job. She had great chemistry with both male actors Max and Jake. She is stunningly attractive and from various interviews I have seen with her, she is really smart and funny. She is the master of various accents. I wish I could hide my own accent as well as she did her irish one.  Max Irons was a great Jared although I found him very brutal on some occasions. I know that Jared in the book was like that as well so I will excuse him. But even then I found him quite cold. But he is good Jared. Strong leader, brilliant in action scenes, apparently he even learn how to drive while shooting the film. And he and Saoirse are a great couple. And lastly Jake Abel as Ian O'shea. You all know how much I am in love with the character so I would be very critical of the any actor who was chosen to take up on this role. But Jake did not disappoint me. He has a strong male presence and he is my Ian in my mind. Everything about him screamed to me that his Ian. And I adore the looks he showered Wanda with. His blue eyes are so beautiful. He looks really strong but soulful in the same time. As Stephenie Meyer wrote in her book. Ian is kind like a soul but strong as a human can be. And Jake is just like that.  So all in all I am very happy with the cast.

• Secondly, I was wondering how they will create the caves where our rebels against the soul's takeover are hiding. I love the world Andrew Nicoll created. The caves were just perfect and they looked like the ones I have imagined in my head. I love how they created the big mirrors in the big room. Although the rooms (individual's caves) were a little bit more modern that I have created them in my mind.

• Thirdly, I have to say that I did not like the way the director more preferred the relationship between Melanie and Jared. I know that it is important part of the story and it explains why Wanda decided to find out where Jared and Jamie are, but I felt like it was too much. In the book we don't have much of it. And there is no explanation why Ian fell in love with Wanda! We have some sort of looks he gives her. He stares at her a lot. And she looks back. And likes him back straight away. But this did not happen in the book. In the book is explained why he falls in love with her. How she got under his skin and found a way into his heart. And I was missing this so much in the movie. So so so much!!! 

• Fourthly, I am missing a lot of interactions between the characters. There isn't explained the friendship between Jeb and Wanda. There isn't an explanation how Jamie got to love Wanda same way as Melanie. And there isn't explained the friendship between the doc and Wanda. Actually there is no explanation why the people of the cave got to like Wanda. The whole part is missing. 

• I am missing a lot of dialogues between Wanda and Ian, Wanda and Jamie, Wanda and Doc, Wanda and Jeb, even Wanda and Jared. To be honest, I think the most important dialogues from the book are not in the movie at all. I think the biggest disappointment was there isn't the conversation between Ian and Wanda from last chapter of the book where she realises that she is in love with him and he is her soul mate. Or where Ian tells her that he is not in love with Melanie because he doesn't know her but he knows Wanda. And the most Jared talks is when he shouts at Wanda why he misses Melanie so so much. 

• Also, correct me if I am wrong but Wanda supposed to get beaten up a lot. Kyle supposed to break her ribs, she should not be able to walk for a little while (so Ian can carry her in his arms all the time),  and she should be bruised all over her body 75% of the time. But instead she has a little scar on her forehead. What is that all about?

• But I have to say that Diane Kruger was a really good Seeker. She portrayed the character very well and did a fantastic job showing how obsessed the Seeker became with Wanda/Melanie and why. And she did it while always looking glamourous. 

• And lastly, the biggest disappointment of them all is  Emily Browning who was picked to play the role of Wanda after she is taken out of Melanie's body. I am sorry. Emily might be a good actress, but she is not Wanda. She is not pretty as Wanda should be and she does not look like Wanda at all. Firstly I thought that it's my biased opinion because as you all know, in my head I am Wanda, but then I spoke to various other people who saw the movie (my sister, my friends and their friends) and we all agree on one thing - EMILY BROWNING IS NOT WANDA! Sorry, but the director made the wrong choice. She even doesn't fit Jake Abel. And Wanda and Ian are my favourite couple of all. So I am very particular about the actors fitting well together. 

• But I have to end this on a positive note. I think the cut is great. The story smoothly follows through even when a lot of it is missing. I can understand why the director put in a lot more action scenes than there are in the book. They need to make it more interesting for people who come to see the movie in the cinema. I love the costumes, the music and the whole set. Well done. 

Ok, so I told you what I like and what I don't like about this movie. I know that a lot of you will not agree with me. And that is ok. I compare it too much to the book. 

Therefore, I have asked what my friends thought about the movie. The ones who haven't read the book. And they all said that they have enjoyed it. They liked the sic-fi theme about alien takeover and they loved the whole love square between Wanda, Ian, Jared and Melanie. 

Even I have to say that if I would not read the book, I would really enjoy the movie on its own. Andrew Nicoll did a great job taken it from the paper to the big screen. Stephenie Meyer should be proud. 

Have you seen it yet? If not I recommend it. You will like it, but watch the movie first, so you don't pick on little bits like I did. You will enjoy the movie a lot more and the book will be a bigger better surprise if you decide to read it.