Showing from April 5: The Host ***

Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, Max Irons, William Hurt, Frances Fisher.
Director: Andrew Niccol.
Rated: PG-13
Showing: Fri-Sat 7:30pm; Sun 5:30pm; Mon-Thurs 7:30pm.
Runtime: 120 minutes
Action, adventure, romance

In the future, hunger, violence and money have disappeared. Lying is unthinkable. And stealing — from the place where one acquires one’s every need, a building labeled “Store” — is pointless. Because we’re all wearing spotless white suits and driving shiny, chrome-plated Lotus Evoras. Well, a lot of us are.

Humanity has been “perfected,”thanks to the aliens. They came, they moved in — not just onto the planet, but into our bodies. And now, the human race is all but extinct, our bodies governed by seemingly benign conquerors. Free will dies as our corpses become “hosts” to the “souls” of those who apparently know what’s best for us and make us serve “the common good.” But Melanie (Saoirse Ronan) is resistant to this body snatching. She debates and wars with the old soul, “Wanderer,” who has invaded her most personal space — her mind. On screen, it’s just another absurdly talky action romance. And it has to be. Most of it is a heated argument that takes place inside poor Melanie’s head.