Thursday, July 30, 2020

Host (2020)- A Shudder Exclusive


Host
Dir- Rob Savage

One of the challenges with the COVID Pandemic is the inability to make movies due to quarantines and social distancing. With so many people staying at home, we have seen some innovations emerge, most notably the use of chat clients like Zoom to socialize with friends. Director Rob Savage uses this social media client most effectively in Shudder's new film Host.



Host is a 2020 Social Media Horror film with a group of friends meeting one another in a Zoom chat room to hold a seance. What starts as a fun gathering becomes disturbing as each of them encounters unexplained events that menacingly affect each of them. 



The movie is less than an hour-long but does make the best use of the short time and does not waste the tension or anxiety after the events get into full swing. The scares are done using mostly practical effects with the stress and fear seen in the actresses adding to the almost genuine feel this movie has. 



The use of the webcams in films like Unfriended and Cam show that a whole new era of horror is possible utilizing isolation horror with social media. The mostly female cast is quite capable with their natural chemistry. It is this familiarity that adds significantly to the scares as each woman, and their lone male friend finds themselves up against an evil force that attacks them all even amid their quarantine. 

4 Stars out of 5 

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