'Host' Review: Zoom Hacking Goes To A Whole New Level

Virtual quarantine hangouts with your friends will never be the same again.

Starting with “Cannibal Holocaust” in 1980, found footage horror films rose in over time, with the culmination arguably peaking with “The Blair Witch Project” in 1999. I grew up watching films like “Paranormal Activity” and “[REC]” in the mid-2000s, what some would consider found footage’s hey-day. However, after numerous sequels from both series and many failed copycats, the style quickly became stale and over-used. Turning into somewhat of a joke for movie-goers and parodied frequently.

In recent years the sub-genre has started to see a resurgence as technology changes, utilizing webcams, instant messaging, and computer screens in “Unfriended” and “Searching”, but I have not seen the style used as effectively as “Host” does. This Shudder Original was created in quarantine and filmed entirely over Zoom.

“Host” is a short but succinct horror film chronicling six friends as they hold a virtual séance before everything, predictably, goes wrong.

Just barely making the runtime for a feature-length film at 56 minutes, “Host” smartly sets up its characters, locations, & premise while also preparing the audience for what is to come. The Zoom interface and limitations of a typical laptop webcam are seamlessly utilized to put you on the edge of your seat for anything that could happen. You make sure to study every Zoom window (especially when all six windows are up at once) to see a hint of something in the background.

As you would expect, there is only so much you can do with a found footage film that hasn’t already been done. “Host” does, at times, sink to using the typical tropes like an actor made-up to look like a demon jumping out of the dark at the camera; an obligatory fake-out scare and the believer vs non-believer character conflict. However at times I found myself so invested in the film, that even when there was one specific over-used trope (one which I was sure they would use), it shocked me and was a pleasant surprise.

With most found-footage horror films, the opening act is used to set up the audience with what they can expect to later see as jump-scare cannon fodder. The filmmakers cleverly employ Zoom’s face filters and backgrounds to blend the scares before running out of ideas and reverting to some trusted standards such as doors slamming for no reason, or characters getting thrown around by an unseen force. While not overly inventive, the pacing of the scares pulled me in. Of course, there is the standard fake-out in the beginning and a couple of basic scares as the film’s momentum builds up, lulling you into a false sense of security, or make you even more tense as you expect something to happen at any moment. Once “Host” hits its climax the jump-scares ramp up and come at you rapid-fire until the very end. 

I am definitely more a timid viewer when it comes to supernatural horror films; they are my least favorite of the genre, but it’s been a couple of hours since I viewed it, and I am still thinking about this film. If you have Shudder and haven’t checked this out, do it now. This is a great addition to the streaming service, and perhaps the perfect home for a small-budget yet effective film.

Let us know your favorite found footage films in the comments below.