Director Na Hong-jin is back with a masterpiece 10 years after ‘The Wailing’ (2016). Need we say more? The most anticipated Korean film of the year, ‘Hope,’ has finally been unveiled. Following its first screening at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, audience reactions suggest that while opinions may vary, there is no doubt it is an extraordinary work. Some even cautiously predict it could be a contender for the Palme d’Or.
‘Hope,’ the first Korean film to be invited to the competition section in four years, had its world premiere on the 17th (local time) at the Lumiere Theater in Cannes, France. Director Na and actors Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Taylor Russell stole the spotlight on the red carpet and at the screening.
‘Hope,’ Director Na’s first foray into SF action, tells the story of a desperate struggle to drive out invaders in Hopohang, a fictional village near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that has been devastated by the appearance of alien life. The plot follows residents like branch manager Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min), village youth Seong-gi (Jo In-sung), and police officer Seong-ae (Jung Ho-yeon). Interestingly, famous Hollywood actors Fassbender, Vikander, and Russell play the aliens through motion capture, meaning their actual faces are rarely seen.
A full house of 2,300 viewers was completely immersed in the film during its 2-hour and 40-minute runtime. The screening was punctuated by occasional applause, cheers, and gasps. After the credits rolled, the audience gave a standing ovation for seven minutes. Director Na expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am sincerely thankful to everyone who stayed until the end of this long film.”
Reflecting the high level of interest, foreign media outlets poured out reviews immediately after the screening, with most being positive. Screen Daily described it as a “breathtaking slaughterhouse filled with suffocating speed, cynical humor, blood, and carnage,” adding that it “sharply illuminates the flaws of the isolated, hostile, and extremely foolish human species.”
The US entertainment outlet Deadline praised it as “a work superior to any SF movie produced in Hollywood.” The Hollywood Reporter also raved, “Korean action master Na Hong-jin’s thrilling SF creature film has the qualities to become a cult genre classic,” noting that it “instantly captures the audience with excellent camera work, heart-pounding music, adrenaline-pumping speed, and vividly portrayed characters.”
However, there were common criticisms regarding the quality of the computer graphics (CG). Variety noted that the “outdated alien monster CG design stands out within the sophisticated world-building,” and Screen Daily pointed out that “the limitations of the visual effects become more apparent as the monsters are revealed, appearing almost AI-generated in some scenes.”
