Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ Makes Waves at Cannes, Ranks Joint 3rd with 2.8 Stars

Director Na Hong-jin’s highly anticipated film ‘Hope’ is making waves at the Cannes Film Festival, drawing significant attention from international media outlets.

On May 17th (local time), Director Na Hong-jin’s ‘Hope’ finally premiered. The film kicks off with Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min), the head of the Hopo Port branch office in the Demilitarized Zone, receiving shocking news from local youths: a tiger has appeared! As the entire village goes on high alert, Bum-seok faces an unbelievable reality.

This year’s 79th Cannes International Film Festival saw 22 films invited to its prestigious competition section. While cinephiles globally are buzzing with predictions for the coveted Palme d’Or, the official festival newsletter, Screen Daily, has unveiled its star ratings.

‘Hope’ earned a solid 2.8-star rating from Screen Daily’s panel of 12 internal critics. One critic awarded it 4 stars, seven gave it 3 stars, and four rated it 2 stars. As of May 19th, this places ‘Hope’ in a respectable tie for 3rd among the films whose scores have been revealed.

Topping the list is Paweł Pawlikowski’s ‘Fatherland’ with 3.3 stars, followed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Evil Does Not Exist’ in second place with 3.1 stars. ‘Hope’ shares its 2.8-star rating with James Gray’s ‘Paper Tiger’.

‘Hope’ has been praised for its unique tone, standing out from other films typically invited to the Cannes competition section.

Director Na Hong-jin’s ambitious sci-fi venture has captivated global audiences since its premiere. Set against the backdrop of Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, the film features alien CG unlike anything seen in Korean cinema before.

After a screening at the Lumière Grand Theater, ‘Hope’ received a roaring 7-minute standing ovation! Variety praised it as “a work that contains cinematic direction of elegant action comparable to any year,” while The Hollywood Reporter raved that it “instantly draws in the audience with dazzling camera work, heart-pounding music, relentless pace, and clearly established characters.”

Deadline chimed in, noting that “cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo’s excellent visuals, Michael Abels’ magnificent orchestral music, and martial arts director Yoo Sang-sub’s impressive stunt coordination deliver results that Hollywood would envy.”

Screen Daily further highlighted that “the dense and detailed production design is astonishingly excellent. Every detail of the space in the film holds a story.”

With its rapid pace, spectacular action, and thrilling plot, the thriller ‘Hope’ is widely praised for truly standing out among the competition entries.

While reviews for the film’s CG and ending are somewhat mixed, the overwhelming interest and positive reception for ‘Hope’ itself are highly significant. At a Cannes Film Festival traditionally dominated by art-house cinema, all eyes are now on this genre-bending thriller. Domestic audiences, the press, international fans, and foreign media are eagerly anticipating whether ‘Hope’ can clinch an award.

Mark your calendars! ‘Hope’ is set to hit theaters in Korea in the summer of 2026.