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Host
2020 56 min United Kingdom 16+
★6.6
Horror
Director: Rob Savage
Trailers
Description
Six friends hire a medium to hold a séance via Zoom during lockdown — but they get far more than they bargained for as things quickly go wrong. When an evil spirit starts invading their homes, they begin to realise they might not survive the night.
Budget:
$100,000
Worldwide:
$443,807
Starring
Haley Bishop
Actor
Jemma Moore
Actor
Emma Louise Webb
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 8 nominations total
Key opinion
Host is a compact, pandemic-era horror film that utilizes the constraints of Zoom to create an immersive, if somewhat formulaic, experience. While critics praise its efficient use of its unique setting and practical scares, audiences and some reviewers remain divided over its thin character development and reliance on genre tropes.
| Runtime | The short, sub-hour runtime effectively prevents the thin narrative from overstaying its welcome. | |
| Direction | The film succeeds in using the limitations of the video-conference format to create an intimate, claustrophobic atmosphere. | |
| Production | The practical visual effects are surprisingly effective at delivering genuine scares despite the micro-budget production. | |
| Pacing | Opinions on pacing are split: some find the real-time structure maintains tension, while others argue the first half suffers from aimless chatter and slow buildup. | |
| Screenplay | Character depth is a point of contention, with some viewers finding the protagonists believable and others dismissing them as underdeveloped and poorly motivated. |