The Host (Gwoemul)

"The film begins with a truly inspired bit of filmmaking... A pleasant summer afternoon on the banks of the river turns into an orgy of death and destruction when the creature surfaces and comes ashore. This is one of the strongest widespread panic segments ever witnessed in a horror film. The terror of the day-trippers by the river and the ensuing pandemonium is set to Lee Byeong-Wu's excellent pounding score. And there's no skimping on the monster: Bong doesn't try to create an air of mystery -- or explain its existence... He just gets to it..."

"A great piece of filmmaking and a legitimate science-fiction/horror classic..."

"The perfect blockbuster..."

"Joon-Ho's epic is a masterpiece of monster cinema that's intelligent, innovative, and reaches down to the basic core of family unity to propel its story beyond mere conventions of science fiction..."

"You’ll laugh, you’ll gasp, you’ll jump, you’ll ask Hollywood for your money back. Seek it out..."

"As well as some impressively frightening special effects (partly provided by New Zealand's Weta Workshop) and a suitably grey, foreboding visual palette, writer-director Bong Joon-ho also excels in creating a host of well-rounded and likeable characters..."

"A couple of lower-grade effects shots aside, the film looks wonderful - particularly the initial daylight catastrope - while the signature Korean genre-twisting will keep everyone on their toes. The cast sell their characters' cruel and extraordinary tale with verve, and the monster - brought to weighty and menacing life by the effects teams behind Lord Of The Rings and Babe - is a memorably deadly addition to the creature hall of fame..."