Hope (2026)
Directed by: Na Hong-jin
Premise: A South Korean film. A rural town is attacked by giant humanoid creatures that kill everything in their path. The local police and a group of hunters try to figure out what’s happening.
What Works: Hope is part monster movie, part disaster picture. As in many disaster films, Hope has a large cast and the story is split between hunters in the woods and police officers in town, with each group confronting large and powerful creatures on a rampage. The filmmakers effectively intercut the two groups of people, using the revelations in one subplot to inform the action in the other. While no one gets much depth, the characters are well defined. The police chief (Hwang Jung-min) is clumsy, the rookie cop (Jung Ho-yeon) is a badass, and the lead hunter (Zo In-sung) is headstrong. But Hope isn’t so much about characters as it is about the visceral experience. The filmmakers hold out on revealing the creatures and do a great job creating fear and anticipation. Although it’s a long movie, the pacing is breathless. The action starts quickly and does not let up. Hope is an extraordinary piece of action moviemaking. The chases and shootouts are exceptionally well choreographed and the camerawork is masterfully controlled. The slickness of the filmmaking contrasts with the gritty texture.
What Doesn’t: The weakest element of Hope is the ending. The story works up to a series of reveals that make clear what’s happening, where the creatures have come from, and why they are running wild through the town. Then the movie just stops. There can be merit to leaving a conflict unresolved if that lack of resolution itself is the point or if it’s a cliffhanger to be resolved in the next installment. That’s not the case here. Despite running 160 minutes, Hope feels incomplete. The ending is a shame because to that point the movie is so involving and the revelation prepares the audience for a major turn in the story that never materializes.
Bottom Line: Hope is a roller coaster ride of a movie, both for better and for worse. It’s an extraordinary exercise in filmmaking craft but much like a theme park ride, it just stops.
Episode: #1118 (September 26, 2026)