Plot summary

Shudder’s ‘Host’ (2020) is about a group of friends who summon a nasty supernatural entity while holding a seance over Zoom. It was written, directed and filmed entirely during the 2020 lockdown – the cast actually were in their own homes and never met with their director. That’s definitely one new way to make a movie and made me intrigued to check it out.If you’ve seen any of the ‘Unfriended’ or ‘Paranormal Activity’ movies then know what to expect. It’s got a just over 50 minute running time (fitting considering Zoom time limitations) and is a quick and easy watch. While not amazing, I appreciated the effort put into it and it held my attention. The actors are good and it feels authentic. There’s also some good spooks towards the end that were executed well enough.I saw a familiar Skype demon horror ‘E-Demon’ last year and it’s leagues better than that and that was a full-length movie. Also better than a lot of crappy Ouija Z-movies you’ll find right at the bottom of Amazon Prime or Netflix. It’s worth checking out, overall. Good effort from all involved. But if you hate low-budget horror movies and didn’t enjoy Unfriended or PA, then watch something else.6/10.