Hope marks the first feature from Na Hong-jin, director of The Wailing, Chaser, and The Yellow Sea, in over ten years. Known for his slow burn, methodical narratives, and thematically rich films, many fans likely assumed that Hope would follow his previous works by offering a film about a small town whose residents discover that we are not alone in the universe. However, nothing could have prepared audiences for the cinematic thrill-ride that is Hope.
The film includes a mysterious discovery that is made on the outskirts of the remote town of Hope Harbor near the heavily fortified demilitarized zone (DMZ). What begins as a local emergency soon spirals into a deeper, more terrifying mystery as it forces the sheriff, Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min, The Wailing) and the town’s residents to confront the unknown.
Hope opens with a couple of hunters showing the local sheriff a recently mutilated cow. The animal wasn’t eaten in any form– it was just violently killed with several cuts inches wide and deep. At first, the neighbours speculate that bear was responsible for the attack, then they believe it is a tiger. The sheriff recommends the hunters, led by Sung-ki (Zo In-sung, Moving), to head into the woods to start tracking the beast while the sheriff heads back into town to gather help. As the hunters head into the woods, the sheriff returns to town and realises that things are not all quiet and calm in their community. With gas explosions, screams, and bullets echoing throughout the town, Hope places itself into high gear as it becomes a non-stop action film that we have not seen the likes of since Mad Max: Fury Road.
From beginning to end, Hope is a relentless, high-octane thrill ride. Every sequence, especially the hour-long opening stretch, feels meticulously constructed down to the smallest detail. Between the massive set pieces, the location shoots, and the practical effects–with blood, fire, and guts all included–it throws audiences directly into the chaos of Hope Harbor. One feels the panic alongside the officers. Audiences experience the tension lingering in the air as aliens howl in the distance. And once the realization hits that these creatures are hunting them, and won’t go down without a fight, the film completely captivate the audience.
The editing is razor sharp and the sound design is incredibly immersive, pulling audiences deep into the wreckage and atmosphere of Hope Harbor. The score absolutely pounds, amplifying every moment of fear and tension, and the stunt work is phenomenal across the board. Whether it’s horseback chases, vehicles tearing through destruction, or brutal hide-and-seek fights inside the tight corridors of the ruined town, Hope delivers some of the most exhilarating stunt sequences of the year.
Narratively, though, there really isn’t much going on beneath the surface. Aliens descend on a small town, chaos erupts, and the local police are left to investigate and protect the community, which becomes further isolated as communications go down. The characters themselves are mostly broad archetypes rather than deeply layered people. However, it’s the kind of movie built to make people cheer, gasp, and lose themselves in the sheer insanity that unfolds before them onscreen.
Ultimately, Hope knows exactly what kind of movie it wants to be and never pretends to be anything else. It’s loud, brutal, chaotic, and unapologetically committed to delivering pure spectacle at every turn. While the thin narrative and simplistic characters may hold it back from greatness, the sheer craftsmanship makes this one of the most crowd-pleasing theatrical experiences of the year so far. This is the kind of movie that should be seen with a packed audience, where every explosion, every revelation, and every action inspires a reaction. Hope may not be subtle, but it absolutely delivers where it counts.
