Your Host

I guess it has been long enough that the casual horror fan may not immediately think of SAW when watching this, but the similarities are unmistakable. Call it an homage if you like.

Jackie Earle Haley may be what helps this one rise above so many other SAW copy-cats. Him and the impressive gore effects. Indie horror can often rise above their limitations in that respect, but this one really looked good.

Back to Haley. His disturbed game show host demeanor is just enough to pull the viewer over the line from laughing to squirming a bit uncomfortably. Especially after you learn why he is doing the things he is doing.

The film suffers from the same thing that all films like this suffer from, SAW included, which is that if you scratch the surface of the plot just a little you have to wonder HOW the antagonists are able to pull off the stunts and traps that they do. You have a man who's life had been ruined, BUT he could buy a warehouse and line it with elaborate and deadly mechanical equipment and manage to capture everyone and bring them to said warehouse without anyone noticing?