Leave it
to “Twilight” writer Stephanie Meyer to create an aliens-take-over-the-world drama
involving a vapid teen girl torn between two boys who –- I kid you not -– at different
points choke and punch her. That’s “The Host.” Much like the creepy romance of “Twilight.”
The story: All of humanity has been body-snatched by glowing alien crawfish
that plunder one’s consciousness, rendering people thoughtless puppets. Melanie
(Saoirse Ronan) -– our “heroine” -- is thus soul-sucked, but her urge to rejoin kin/fellow
resistance fighters is so strong, she rebels inside her own head. This leads
to Ronan endlessly and out loud debating her own voice-over, resulting in our alternating
cringing and laughing. The girl(s) finds her tribe-like people, including two
interchangeable guys who -– as I said -– thump her. Why? Melanie is now untrustworthy.
The Meyer trick: Human Melanie and Crawfish Melanie are each in love with one
of the guys. Neither ever considers, “Wow, these assholes hit women. I’m out.”
Meyer. Director Andrew Niccol has done better future sci-fi with “Gattaca,” and
Ronan rocked in “Atonement” and “Hanna.” Her irises glowing like “Tron” discs
and reciting drivel, she evaporates here. The “months later” epilogue feels all
too true. D-
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