'The Host' devours movie goers at Gulf Breeze Cinema 4

Ko A-sung stars as Hyunseo in the South Korean monster movie "The Host," which opens in Gulf Breeze Friday, April 19 at the Gulf Breeze Cinema 4. Picture courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

A South Korean monster movie that garnered critical success at the 2006 International Cannes Film Festival will be scaring up some new fans in Gulf Breeze.

"The Host," directed by acclaimed Korean director Joon-ho Bong and augmented by computer graphic boutiques Weta Workshop (King Kong, The Lord of the Rings) and The Orphanage (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Sin City), opens tomorrow at the Gulf Breeze Cinema 4.

The film has seen wide commercial success in Asia last year and its release in the continental US was highly anticipated.

The movie itself presents an intriguing blend of typical creature feature suspense, dysfunctional family high jinks, and government sponsored conspiracy theories to keep the avid science fiction fan well satiated.

Gang-du (SONG Kangho) works at a food-stand on the banks of the Han River. Dozing on the job, he is awakened by his daughter, Hyun-seo (KO A-sung), who is angry with him for missing a teacher-parent meeting at school.

As Gang-du walks out to the riverbank with a delivery, he notices that a large crowd of people have gathered, taking pictures and talking about something hanging from the Han River Bridge. The otherwise idyllic landscape turns suddenly to bedlam, when a terrifying creature climbs up onto the riverbank and begins to crush and eat people. Gang-du and his daughter run for their lives, but suddenly the being grabs Hyun-seo and disappears back into the river.

The government announces that the monstrous thing apparently is the host of an unidentified virus. Having feared the worst, Gang-du receives a phone call from his daughter who is frightened, but very much alive. Gang-du soon makes plans to infiltrate the forbidden zone near the Han River to rescue his daughter from the clutches of the horrifying Host.

Great entertainment ensues as Gang-du and his eclectic family search for the missing Hyun-seo among the city's sewer infrastructure.