When I was checking out the lineup of films competing for the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, one movie immediately stuck in my head. The title is Hope (2026), a South Korean film that marks Na Hong-jin's directorial comeback after a 10-year hiatus since The Wailing (2016). It tackles a monster theme with an intense action premise, thriller vibes, and a touch of horror, which is the exact type of movie I absolutely love. Even though it got mixed reviews after its Cannes premiere, I spent months eagerly anticipating its theatrical release, keeping my fingers crossed that it would actually make its way here to Lampung, Indonesia. I was so incredibly thrilled to find out it really did get a release here and that I could catch it right on opening day. So, with those mixed reviews and my sky-high expectations, did this movie actually manage to satisfy my cravings?
The film is set in Hope Harbor, a small village near the Korean Demilitarized Zone where mostly elderly people live. A police chief named Ko Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) is called in to investigate a gruesome mystery: a bunch of cows have been found dead, covered in wounds from an attack by a mysterious creature (or monster?). The case takes an even more terrifying turn when the creature they are hunting starts baring its fangs at everyone in town. Now, Bum-seok, alongside other characters like Ko Sung-ki (Zo In-sung) and Im Sung-ae (Jung Ho-yeon), has to take down the monster before things in the village get any worse.
The absolute greatest strength of this film is its mind-blowing action sequences. Every single one feels spectacular, fueled by high intensity with zero brakes. I was utterly amazed, especially during the first hour when I was left guessing what the very first monster would look like, since the movie's marketing had already spoiled quite a bit. Luckily, I stayed totally excited for whatever was going to happen next, even as the mystery gradually faded. I will never forget the cinematography, it was an absolute feast for the eyes. It truly felt like I was dragged right into their battlefield, walking down dark corridors wrecked by the creature, standing in the forest, and being right in the middle of a chase sequence involving cars and horses, all perfectly matched by a score that ramps up the tension every single second. I also completely loved the cast, especially Sung-ae's character introduction, which literally made me cheer out loud in the theater. They all managed to blend the serious and comedic moments so well without ever ruining the vibe. There’s one monologue involving diarrhea that had the entire theater roaring with laughter, even I could not stop giggling. Na Hong-jin’s direction in every aspect here proved to be incredibly effective. He is absolutely the real deal.
I really enjoyed this movie, but I still have to point out a bunch of things that made me think like, "Man, they should have done this differently." First off, the film is a bit overlong. Being served non-stop action for 150 minutes, wouldn't you get bored? Of course you would. This is because some of the action sequences lost their magic once the mystery was gone, which is exactly why that first hour felt so extraordinary. There were also scenes thrown in, like the creature autopsy, that did not really add much information. Then, of course, there's what everyone has been criticizing the most: the monster's visual effects. It felt so weird to me, because the CGI during the action scenes, like a car getting thrown or a sequence involving the mountains, was absolutely flawless. But when the creature was actually shown, it looked like something straight out of a PS2 animation. The CGI was way too obvious, especially during the chase sequence with the first creature, it was just impossible to ignore.
Not gonna lie, I still loved this movie overall. I do not even know when the last time was that I got so excited I actually physically reacted while watching a film. Plus, I do not think I have ever anticipated a release to the point of actively making time and setting aside money just because I refused to miss out on the theater experience, except for this one. Those visual effects flaws I mentioned were glaringly obvious and I cannot lie that they were bad, but what can I say, I was already having way too much fun with it. I would say this film definitely lived up to my expectations.
Score: 9 of 10
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