‘The Host’ Is Perfect Home to House Your Horror Lust
By Joey Click
Ash Has Spent The Last 30 Years Avoiding Deadites… And Responsibility
“Shoot First, Ask Questions Never.” -Ash
THE REVIEW:
David Frazee directs The Host with punching-power precision and considerable consistency. While it may seem slightly obvious the episodes, which started with legendary series’ creator Sam Raimi’s stellar El Jefe, have been less stylish and more tamely directed (possible due to less budget as the season progressed), The Host still features decent direction. The shot where Ash looks through his roof is decent and the sequence at the episode’s tail end featuring Pablo is a stellar example of Frazee’s great direction.
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That’s not to say The Host, the fifth entry in Starz’s freshmen season of Ash Vs. Evil Dead, doesn’t offer much to feast your content-deprived horror hungry eyes on. The Host’s script, written by Zoe Green, sinks its teeth into its narrative and slows the Ash Vs. Evil Dead fright train. Acting essentially as the second part of an hour-long episode, following last week’s Brujo, The Host takes its time with the story of possession and power. The transition between the two parts is seamless and in fact, progresses the season’s ability to be presented as if it’s a film. While there isn’t as much iconic series lore in The Host, as was present in last week’s Brujo, the episode makes up for it in with its narrative execution.
Originally I had huge fears about the fourth Evil Dead, a film talked about more times than Jews during the Holocaust, being turned into a television show instead of a feature. While the direction has still taken a hit with Raimi not helming the entire season, the series as it stands now employs perfect narrative momentum and The Host is more than enough proof of this.
The thespians on The Host continue to bring the good stuff. While the episode often feature the same players- something that strengthens the overall Ash Vs. Evil Dead– the actors knock it out of the park every time but some shine more than others depending on the episode (Campbell is always the best anyhow).
In The Host, Ray Santiago takes ownership of the series fifth half hour. Playing the dopey, mostly insecure sidekick Pablo, Santiago steps up in Ash Vs. Evil Dead’s latest outing. He’s stronger than we’ve seen him before and by the episodes end, Pablo has been forever changed. Sidekick no more, and the future holds sharp chainsaws for Santiago.
Dana DeLorenzo again shows she was cast for a reason in The Host. While still playing a person possessed, a holdover situation from Brujo, DeLorenzo’s Kelly is as viscous as they come when she’s the home for the Deadite scum. In actuality, she’s better and more believable as the possessed Kelly than the non possessed one.
THE VERDICT:
The Host is a stellar episode of Ash Vs. Evil Dead. While the fifth installment in Starz’s season is probably the weakest one of the series, the episode is still a great edition and a solid piece of entertainment. The Host adds to what has become a surprisingly amazing first season of the “Evil Dead” series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
THE GRADE: B
Join 1428 next week as I take a look at Ash Vs. Evil Dead’s sixth episode, The Killers of Killers, only on Starz. Check out a preview The Killer of Killers below, courtesy of Starz.