Host Film Review (2020) – Zoom Paranormal Activity

(This is Host film review, which is a horror film using Zoom Meetings software as its medium)

Due to the Corona virus, quarantine has become a part of most of the population in this world. Host makes use of that as the base of its premise and expands it in a way that just seems so relatable to us today.

It is directed by Rob Savage and stars less well known British actors(that use their real names in the film) such as Haley Bishop, Jemma Moore, Emma Louise Webb and Radina Drandova. Without further holding back from scaring you, let’s delve deep into the Host film review below!

Premise

When a group of friends decided to hire a medium to summon a spirit, things start to go awry when one of them disrespects the procedure, causing supernatural activities to occur to each of them. Can they survive through the night all alone and separated from one another?

Host Film Review

Premise

The premise itself is pretty normal and quite cliché. It is almost just like any other normal horror story where a group of friends decided to have some fun by summoning a spirit, only for things to go awry. In a way, this would have been a stereotypical horror film for its premise, and would not earn any brownie points for originality. However, it is the medium of how the film presents itself, as well as the current situation that caused this film to feel so relatable to us, that made this film stand out in its own way.

I got to admit that Host is not the first film that is shown through a video-chat medium. There are others before it, but this time they use the Zoom software which almost everyone uses nowadays daily. We have become all too familiar with how it works, and the horror premise makes us become fearful of the very tool that we use everyday. Still, premise wise it’s just decent and is even pretty predictable. However, it does not hide the fact that it may cause you to be unsettling due to the medium used. And another plus point is the use of the Zoom filters to make things scarier even without using any SFX.

It is the medium of how the film presents itself, as well as the current situation that caused this film to feel so relatable to us

Pacing

Pacing is pretty slow in the beginning, but when the haunting starts, things pick up pace quite quickly. The use of 6 different screens that show the way things happen to each character in a sequence ensures that there will not be any boring moments in-between. I like how the film expertly paces its own flow so as to ensure the tension and anxiety stayed high as we were shown how each haunting differed from one another.

Host film review seeing double — Seeing double

Characters

The characters themselves feel just like real people. Their demeanours and accents really set the tone for the film, as unlike some Hollywood movies, these actors and actresses are shown as is, some with and without makeup. Their conversations also sound perfectly natural, thus easily making us believe that this whole scenario seemed very real. Acting and interaction between them are also great, just like how you talk to your friends in the real life.

Their demeanours and accents really set the tone for the film

I guess if there are any weak points, that would be that each character does not seem to stand out as individual. So, in a sense, they are not really memorable except for one or two of them. Not all characters are given the same treatment, but they all did receive the same treatment from the ghost.

Host film review the haunting begins — The haunting begins

As for the ghost itself, it is shown in snippets, filters or some other indirect forms, except for one where it’s shown to have the same physical form. But overall it’s like the ghost in Paranormal Activity but with more violence. There are not much background story for the ghost though, which I felt is a miss.

Soundtracks/SFX

There are not really much soundtracks due to things taking place in real time. But SFX wise it is pretty good as far as horror film is concerned. It won’t win any awards but it did its job well enough to instil unsettledness and tension to the audience.

Host Film Review (2020) – Zoom Paranormal Activity

Story

Pacing

Characters

Soundtrack/SFX

Reader Rating0 Votes0

What's good

Great use of Zoom as the medium

Characters interactions and conversations are natural

Pretty great pacing

Good use of SFX

The ghost is shown indirectly

What's bad

Premise is unoriginal and a bit cliché

Not all characters get the same treatment

The ghost is not given much background for it to be more prominent

3.4

It's Okay!

Host makes use of the current situation to instil a relatable horror!

If you want a film that will cause you to unsettle while using a video chat software, then Host is film for you. Though note that other than its medium, the rest is pretty unoriginal and cliché.

[Host film review score table]

Author Details

Author Details

Anthony L Tjandra

An everyday guy who is the founder of Controller Companies. He started it when he was frustrated to find that the stuff he bought had no reviews available online. Thus, this website is created with the sole purpose of reviewing stuff that he has seen, bought, used or enjoyed! Now, he is probably doing another review while you are reading this.