Hope Wins 4 Stars as Na Hong-jin Unleashes a 2-Hour-40-Minute Monster Epic
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 19
Hope Wins 4 Stars as Na Hong-jin Unleashes a 2-Hour-40-Minute Monster Epic
8 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 19
Four-star review calls South Korean blockbuster "Hope" 2026's must-see monster movie, praising its first hour as a breathless, full-throttle chase through Hope Harbor.
Na Hong-jin's film—one of Korea's most expensive ever made—blends western, action, horror and sci-fi, with Hwang Jung-min leading the hunt for a rampaging creature.
Forty-odd minutes pass before the monster is fully shown, a delay the review says boosts tension even if the eventual CGI often looks substandard and video-game-like.
Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander add star power to a film the review says echoes The Terminator, Predator, Aliens and Avatar.
The review says Hope still carries political bite and comic commentary on human frailty, though its abrupt ending suggests sequel plans after Na's 10-year gap since The Wailing.
With mixed reviews for its monster movie, will Neon’s six-year winning streak at Cannes finally be broken?
After a decade away, has Na Hong-jin’s blockbuster traded his signature grit for flawed CGI and franchise bait?