Max Irons and Saoirse Ronan in a flashback scene. Source: Cineplex
With Melanie having not faded away completely like the other humans, she convinces Wanda to escape the watching eye of The Seeker and run away into the desert to find her family. When the two of them finally get to the cave where the other humans have been hiding, they are met with hostility and animosity. Jared Howe (Max Irons) is one of the most distraught. Having once been in love with Melanie and mourned her apparent death, it's almost impossible for him to accept the fact that her physical form has returned, but her mind has not (at least that's what he thinks for now). Later on everyone discovers that Melanie is being kept prisoner in her own body, unable to express thoughts unless Wanda voices them for her.
Are you confused yet? Let me add another layer of crazy on top of it. William Hurt, who plays Uncle Jeb, is the first to accept Wanda/Melanie into their clan and because of his kindness, other people soon start to follow suit and realize that it is possible to live in harmony with the souls. Ian O'Shea (Jake Abel) realizes that Wanda is not like the other souls they have captured. Rather, she is one of the most human beings (soul and humans included) that he has ever met. And obviously, since this is a Stephenie book, he begins so fall in love with the alien.
Even though it sounds like a romantic film, it's actually more of a science fiction. Director Andrew Niccol (Gattaca and The Truman Show) was able to take a massive book (and I mean massive - it's over 600 pages long) and condense it so that all the important bits are showcased. However, there are some downsides to this. A lot of the character development is lost in translation. For example, one thing that bugged me about this film was the fact that Ian went from wanting to kill Wanda, to loving her in what seems like a blink of an eye. We don't get to see any of the gears moving in his mind to make him decide to switch sides.
Although I will admit that overall the script was missing a lot of substance, it's actually not bad for an adaptation. And I'm actually okay with it because of how great the performances by Ronan and Hurt were. Ronan had the difficult task, and amazing opportunity, to play two characters at once. It takes a certain level of skill necessary to portray both characters and give them both distinct personalities. The Oscar nominated actress for her work in Atonement certainly pulled it off - a demure and put together Wanda juxtaposed against the feisty and passionate Melanie.
Hurt, as the leader and father figure for everyone in the cave, gave an honest and wise performance. Sometimes I wasn't sure if I was listening to William Hurt speak, or Uncle Jeb - the line between reality and fiction was blurred, a feat that can only be accomplished by someone of his caliber. Another shockingly good performance was that of Chandler Canterbury who plays Jamie, the younger brother of Melanie. Even though his character longs for his sister to be back, he also doesn't want to lose the friend he has found in Wanda.
Overall, The Host is a must see for the Twihards. But even those who are not a fan of the Twilight franchise will be pleasantly surprised at how much variety there is in the film. A little bit of romance, a little bit of action. There's something for everyone. Call this film what you want, just don't call it the new Twilight.
Rating: 7/10
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