‘Host’ (2025) Prime Video Movie Review - Aboarding School Horrors, Timelines Blur, and Ghosts

I’ve just finished watching Host (2025) on Prime Video and walked away with a mix of chills, appreciation, and the kind of unresolved questions you expect from a smart horror film. Pokpong-Pairach Khumwan directs it and taps into Thai folklore (in particular the “Mae Sue” guardian-spirit motif) as a backdrop for a story of control, identity, and haunting.

Right out of the gate, the premise works: our protagonist Ing (portrayed by Baipor‑Thitiya Jirapornsilp) is bundled off to a reform school on an island. The school’s system is brutal and hierarchical: the students must obey, there’s a clear chain of command among them, loyalty is everything, and we quickly feel that things are off-kilter. The first half of the film does what horror does best: it builds atmosphere, discomfort, a sense of isolation (literally being on an island helps), and the viewer starts to wonder where the horror lies: in supernatural forces, in cruelty among the students, or in Ing’s own psyche.

The performances are one of the strong suits. Baipor-Thitiya gives a quietly intense turn as Ing: you sense she’s trying to acclimatise, trying to stay under the radar, but is gradually forced into the spotlight. The supporting cast also delivers effectively: peers who seem friendly at first but carry secrets, and older girls who wield power like weapons. The direction uses that dynamic well: from crowded dorm rooms to the empty corridors at night, to ritual-like scenes where obedience is tested, there’s a solid sense of dread. The cinematography leans into light and shadow in ways that feel familiar but still effective: the water surrounding the island, the isolation of the institution, and the echo in hallways all contribute. It doesn’t reinvent the horror wheel, but it gives you what you want: mood, tension, and unsettling visuals.

As the story progresses, supernatural hints become stronger. Ing begins to experience strange events—sounds, glimpses, a ghostly presence, but it never fully leans into jump scares only. Instead, it keeps ambiguity alive: Are the freaky happenings supernatural? Or are they the product of the system, the hierarchy, guilt, or trauma? That ambiguity is refreshing and adds depth. And the folklore element (Mae Sue) gives the film a distinct cultural flavour that helps it stand out from generic boarding-school horrors.

Another positive: the pacing is mostly well handled. The film doesn’t rush into full-on horror; it lets things simmer. The early scenes are slower, but once the turning point arrives (without spoiling), you feel the stakes climbing. Character development is there: Ing changes, from uncertain outsider to someone who begins to ask questions, who pushes back. You care about her, you root for her. And there’s an effective strain of psychology: authority vs resistance, truth vs façade, belonging vs exclusion. In other words, the movie offers more than “scary things happen” — there’s an undercurrent of social commentary about institutions and power structures.

That said, the film is not without its flaws. One thing I noticed is that some of the sub-characters feel a bit underdeveloped. In a story set among many girls, it’s hard to give every peer equal weight, so several of them remain more like archetypes than full individuals. That’s fine for a horror film, but when you lean into character drama as this one does, the weaker development of those around Ing lessens the emotional payoff at times.

Also, the film occasionally leans too heavily on atmosphere and dread without sufficient clarity in a few key narrative turns. I won’t spoil what happens, but there are moments when you ask: “Wait, what exactly triggered that?” or “Why is this character doing that now?” For some viewers, that ambiguity will be thrilling; for others, it may feel like loose threads. The balance between suggestion and explanation tilts toward suggestion, which is a bold choice but not always satisfying.

Additionally, while the folklore element is a fresh touch, the film doesn’t always weave it seamlessly into the boarding-school story. There are flashes of myth, a feeling of ritual and tradition, but at times I wanted more exploration of the cultural-supernatural side, less of a tease, more of a full dive. The result is you get strong horror and strong institution-drama, but the folklore becomes more flavour than a fully developed core.

Visually, I appreciated the island setting and the way the school is rendered—remote, harsh, isolating. But in a few sequences, the lighting felt a little too familiar from other horror films (i.e., “dorm room in dim light”, “hallway shot with one flickering bulb”), so for very seasoned horror fans, some imagery might feel derivative. That’s not a deal-breaker, because what matters is execution, and execution is solid. Yet if you’ve seen many horror films, you’ll recognise the templates.

Another point: the ending. Without going too deep, the film’s climax offers a confrontation that delivers, but the resolution left a little to be desired in terms of emotional closure. I found myself appreciating the journey more than feeling fully satisfied with the destination. That’s not necessarily bad; sometimes open-ended is precisely the point, but it did mean the film lingered in my mind in a slightly unresolved way. If you like clear answers, you might feel a bit teased.

In summary, Host is a confident horror film that blends the institutional dread of a reform-school setting with supernatural folklore, anchored by a strong central performance and crisp direction. It uses setting, hierarchy, and isolation smartly, and creates enough psychological unease to keep you engaged. It may not reinvent the genre or give you everything tied up in neat knots, and some characters and myth elements could have been more fully realised, but overall it offers more than your average scare ride. It’s fun to watch, legitimately creepy in places, and has enough thoughtful craftsmanship to appeal to horror fans who like a little brain with their goose-bumps. If you’re in the mood for a horror film with atmosphere, cultural flavour, and a protagonist you root for, Host is absolutely worth your time. And if you’re a bit more picky about character depth or fully fleshed world-building, you’ll still get a strong package, just with a few caveats. I’ll be recommending this one to friends who like their horror with style and meaning.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times