Review by Jon Donnis
Hope is an ambitious and gloriously strange mixture of science fiction, horror, action and Korean comedy. Written and directed by Na Hong-jin, the film begins in the isolated village of Hope Harbor, where a series of mysterious deaths soon develops into a fight for survival against a seemingly unstoppable creature.
One of the film's biggest strengths is how patiently it handles the creature's introduction. We do not get a full look at it until around 45 minutes in, allowing the mystery to build before the film finally unleashes its monster. That gradual approach makes the first proper appearance much more effective and gives the story time to establish the isolated setting and the growing sense that something is seriously wrong.
Once the creature begins its rampage, Hope becomes an almost relentless action film. The chase sequences are particularly impressive, especially during the first hour. Watching vehicles tear through the streets while characters are both pursuing and fleeing the creature gives the film a real sense of scale. The low camera angles also work brilliantly, making the action feel larger and more intense.
Despite its excessive running time, there is rarely a shortage of things happening. Gunfights, pursuits, attacks and increasingly bizarre encounters keep the story moving, while the film's Korean humour provides some welcome relief from the violence. I particularly enjoyed this side of Hope. The comedy feels like a natural part of the film rather than something awkwardly inserted between the action.
The creature itself becomes more interesting as the story develops. What initially appears to be a simple monster turns out to be intelligent, seemingly indestructible and connected to something much larger. The eventual discovery that the creatures are aliens completely changes the scale of the story, while the revelation involving an infant adds an unexpected emotional element to what could otherwise have been a straightforward monster movie.
The cast also works well. Hwang Jung-min makes Bum-seok a likeable central character, while Jung Ho-yeon brings plenty of energy to rookie officer Sung-ae. Zo In-sung's headstrong Sung-ki adds another strong personality to the increasingly chaotic situation. The international cast, including Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Russell, further adds to the film's unusual combination of Korean character drama and large-scale science fiction.
Unfortunately, Hope does have a couple of significant weaknesses.
The biggest is the running time. At more than two and a half hours, the film is simply too long. There is plenty of action to keep things moving, but a tighter edit would have made the overall experience considerably stronger. Some material could have been trimmed without sacrificing the story or its major set pieces.
The CGI is also inconsistent. Much of the creature work is effective, but there are several shots where the effects are noticeably weaker. When the creature looks convincing, it is an imposing threat. When the CGI falters, however, it becomes much harder to stay immersed in the scene.
The ending is another reason I hope this is not the last we see of Hope. The cliffhanger leaves the story open for a sequel, and I would happily return for another film. With a larger budget, particularly for the visual effects, there is plenty of potential to build on what works here and deliver something even bigger.
If you love chase scenes, great action set pieces and weird-looking creatures, aliens and monsters, and you do not mind reading subtitles, then Hope is very much the film for you.
I love all of those things, and I really enjoyed Hope.
Hope gets a solid 8.5 out of 10. The dodgy CGI in places and the overly long running time are the main things preventing it from scoring even higher.
Hope is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on 25 September 2026
And is out NOW in US cinemas!
The Trailer does have some spoilers, so beware before you watch.
