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FILM OF THE WEEK Hitchcock lite

MARIA DUARTE sees a thriller which aspires to match the legendary master of suspense but doesn't quite measure up

The Host (15)
Directed by Andy Newbery

IN THE HOST, a case of mistaken identity — or split personality — starts off as a predictable drugs crime thriller which, initially set in London, takes a macabre turn once the action moves to Amsterdam.

In it, London banker  Robert Atkinson (Mike Beckingham) steals £50,000 from his employers to fund a new life.

Instead, he ends up being indebted to the Chinese cartel who persuade him to deliver a case for them to the Dutch capital. There, he stays in the luxurious home of the beautiful and mysterious Vera Tribbe (Maryam Hassouni), a member of a very powerful and wealthy family who, as is often the case, has daddy issues.

When Atkinson suddenly goes missing, his younger brother Steve (Dougie Poynter) goes in search of him and plunges into a dangerous rabbit hole. It does look very slick and stylish and shows off key areas of London and Amsterdam in a flattering light.

From its Dali-esque opening credits, this debut feature by TV-turned-film director Andy Newbery aspires to be Hitchcockian, and the second half certainly bears resemblance to Psycho.

Yet, although more grisly and gruesome, it lacks the inimitable style, finesse and slow-building tension of the master of suspense and horror himself.

This is a film about being at a crossroads and choosing the right path. The wrong one means that sacrifices will be made and, in the case of greedy bankers, Atkinson's fate can be construed as karma.

One of the most notable things about the film is a sequence in a diner which will  certainly make you think twice about eating burgers ever again, if not pondering turning vegan.

 

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