The Host 2013

Manohla Dargis, New York Times: Dopey, derivative and dull, "The Host" is a brazen combination of unoriginal science-fiction themes, young-adult pandering and bottom-line calculation. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Ronan is better than the material she's given as Melanie/Wanda. The star of Atonement and Hanna conveys more intelligence than her foolish dual roles call for. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: "The Host" is like a confused guest who stays too long - but at least it's good for a few laughs. Read more

Scott Foundas, Variety: Meyer is undeniably canny at using genre to address the age-old struggles of adolescence, but at just over two hours, even "The Host's" air of guilty pleasure eventually subsides. Read more

Tasha Robinson, AV Club: Niccols always picks unusual, intriguing projects, and gives them a distinctive look, but the emotional core of his stories sometimes escapes him. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: Just kind of dumb. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: If nothing else, the movie serves as an excellent substitute for the book: better art direction and a quarter of the adjectives. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The film may as well be titled "Stephenie Meyer's Waiting Around." Read more

Tom Charity, CNN.com: This is pretty silly stuff, Twi-lite if you will, but played with maximum solemnity, no discernible humor and minimal excitement. Read more

Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News: Fear and dread of "the other" have long ruled American science fiction, fantasy, suspense thrillers and politics... How jarring then, and refreshing, to see The Host... take the invaders' point of view. Read more

Adam Graham, Detroit News: A goofball teenage sci-fi romance, "The Host" is an End of Days parable that seems like it was written at a slumber party. Read more

Cary Darling, Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com: By the time the film finally gets to its conclusion -- an obvious set-up for a sequel -- you may wish you'd been possessed by aliens for the previous couple of hours. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: [A] bizarre Saturday Night Live sketch about a girl with a bratty alien inside her. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Film.com: The Host raises many questions, among them, how has it taken this long for Diane Kruger to play an alien? Read more

Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: There's something about novelist Stephenie Meyer that induces formerly interesting directors to suddenly make films that are slow, silly and soporific. Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: Pick up the book. It does a far better job of breathing life into this monochromatic new world than the film. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: An invasion of the body snatchers is preferable to realizing that the true horror perpetrated here is not on the characters but on the audience. Read more

Rafer Guzman, Newsday: A sci-fi writer like Philip K. Dick ("Blade Runner") might have used this premise to explore notions of memory and identity. Meyer uses it to create a teen soap opera. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: If only the movie played as nicely as it looked. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: We're treated to the bizarre spectacle of Ronan arguing with herself repeatedly over which guy to kiss. But since both are similarly bland, it barely matters. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Long, tedious and often unintentionally hilarious. Read more

Tirdad Derakhshani, Philadelphia Inquirer: The Host isn't very good as a romance. There's not very much passion on screen, which makes the film a poor cousin to Twilight. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: The movie's structure is awkward. There's no real narrative thrust. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: "The Host" is top-heavy with profound, sonorous conversations, all tending to sound like farewells. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: The Host is born from the mother of all things Twilight, Stephenie Meyer, which is the next best - or worst - thing, depending on your point of view. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Neither romantic nor fake romantic, and not at all ridiculous, The Host has an atmosphere that is cold, austere and sardonic. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: There's only so much value that Niccol's slick presentation can add to Meyer's shallow material. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: Ronan, youthfully elegant as always, tries hard, but the material defeats her. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Sci-fi hits the skids as bad melodrama rules, and we get such risible dialogue as, "It's not really me you like, it's this body" and "I'm still of two minds." And how about this groaner: "Kiss me like you want to get slapped." Read more

Alonso Duralde, TheWrap: During the dull stretches of The Host -- and, sadly, there are many of them -- you may find yourself rewriting the movie as a French farce. Read more

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out: Niccol helps The Host survive as a sci-fi movie even as he's saddled with the Twilight author's source material. Read more

Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice: The Host's infelicities-drab dialogue, ridiculous plotting, more emotional crises than there is story-are enlivened by its thematic eccentricities. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: It's a mushy and unsuspenseful melodrama. Read more