[SC Review] 'Hope' — Have You Ever Seen Such a Crazy Film? (Full Story)

[Sportschosun reporter Jo Ji-young] What on earth did we just watch? An astonishing alien attack that left an entire village drenched in blood and reduced to ruins. Director Na Hong-jin, who wears the mask of the 'king of comedy' but is really the 'king of blood,' has returned with an utterly insane, unbelievably wild sci-fi film.

Na Hong-jin's first new film in 10 years, 'Hope' (produced by Forged Films), was unveiled on the afternoon of the 6th at a press and distribution screening held at Megabox COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. After being invited to the competition section of the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May and making its world premiere there, the film drew intense attention from local media at its first domestic screening.

Beforehand, 'Hope' had already generated major buzz by casting some of Korea's most prominent actors, including Hwang Jung-min, who previously worked with Na on 'The Wailing' in 2016, along with Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon. Adding to the anticipation were acclaimed Hollywood stars such as Michael Fassbender, widely recognized in Korea for films like the 'X-Men' series, '12 Years a Slave,' and 'Alien: Covenant'; Alicia Vikander of 'The Danish Girl,' 'Jason Bourne,' and 'Tomb Raider'; Taylor Russell of 'Bones and All'; and Cameron Britton of the 'Mindhunter' series, all appearing as aliens in the film. With Hollywood actors and a sci-fi setting, the production budget was substantial. 'Hope' drew attention from the very start of production as a blockbuster with the largest budget ever invested in a single Korean film project, estimated at 70 billion won.

With so much anticipation, and just as much concern, 'Hope' has finally been revealed. The story, long shrouded in mystery, is as follows: it begins when the head of the Hope Harbor branch office, located in the DMZ, hears from local young men that a tiger has appeared. As the entire village goes on high alert, the story unfolds as he encounters an unbelievable reality. At the Cannes Film Festival, the running time was 160 minutes, or 2 hours and 40 minutes. After taking local reviews into account, the alien chase sequence in the middle was shortened by four minutes, and the final cut runs 156 minutes.

Opening with a 90-second first clip released before the Cannes Film Festival, 'Hope' then barrels forward without looking back, gripping viewers like a race car with broken brakes. For the first 45 minutes or so, not a single alien appears on screen. Even so, the increasingly eerie atmosphere of the village, the tension-building sound design, and unexplained gunshots keep ratcheting up the pressure. Hope Harbor, which quickly turns into a blood-soaked mess, is drenched in Na Hong-jin's signature bloody style.

Of course, the film is not only about nail-biting tension. Na Hong-jin's hidden sense of humor erupts at unexpected moments, leaving viewers unable to look away. Blending action, comedy, human drama, horror, thriller, and sci-fi into one grand crossover universe, the director keeps audiences in a constant push and pull as he guides 'Hope' forward.

The performances from the cast are, needless to say, outstanding. Hwang Jung-min, who transforms into Beom-seok, the head of the Hope Harbor branch office and the film's backbone, drives the narrative with a deeply human struggle between his duty to protect the village and his fear of the unknown. Hwang brings out both the anger directed at the alien force that devastated the village and the pity felt for an alien who lost a child, giving 'Hope' a powerful narrator-like presence.

Zo In-sung also commands attention with a transformation unlike anything seen before, playing Sung-gi, a local young man in Hope Harbor who does all kinds of odd but profitable jobs. His raw, untamed charisma, combined with rock-solid physicality, makes his intense action scenes a constant source of awe. It is impossible not to be captivated by Zo In-sung racing through the forest on horseback while firing a gun. By the time the film ends, it becomes easy to understand why Na Hong-jin chose the 186-cm-tall actor for the role of Sung-gi.

Jung Ho-yeon, the film's only female lead, is equally overwhelming with her clear-eyed madness. As Seong-ae, the Hope Harbor police officer who simply does her job no matter the situation, Jung blends so naturally into 'Hope' that her presence feels inseparable from the film itself. Despite her slender frame, she delivers flawless gun-action sequences, adding even more excitement to the viewing experience. Between Hwang Jung-min and Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon takes on car chases, drifting, grenade launchers, and a wide range of action scenes. The Sae-byeok from Netflix's 2021 series 'Squid Game' was only a preview; Jung Ho-yeon's fully blossomed performance begins in earnest with 'Hope'.

Beyond Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Jung Ho-yeon, 'Hope' also brings out a host of scene-stealers who have long been staples of K-dramas and Korean films, creating a near-perfect ensemble. Lee Sang-yi, who plays Nak-yeon and becomes entangled in Hwang Jung-min's private troubles, Im Hyun-sik as the truth-telling 'uncle' Hae-sul, the first person to spot the alien in the village, and Eum Moon-suk as Yang-bae, the spark that sets Hope Harbor's hell in motion, all help propel the film with remarkable balance.

There are, of course, some disappointments. The visual effects (VFX), which drew mixed reactions at Cannes, sometimes interrupt immersion because of their unfamiliar look. The alien design, laid bare in natural light, feels so experimental that it is hard to shake the sense that it sits awkwardly within the film. The decision to cast so many Hollywood actors as aliens also does not feel especially striking.

Even with those shortcomings, 'Hope' is undeniably fresh, shocking, strange, and boldly unconventional. It is a truly crazy film unlike anything seen in more than 100 years of Korean cinema. Its 156-minute runtime and divisive alien visuals are by no means enough to become risks for the film. With direction, story, cinematography, action, sound, and the cast's performances pushed to the limit, a film with six strong pillars has been born.

Meanwhile, 'Hope' stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender, and is directed by Na Hong-jin, known for 'The Chaser,' 'The Yellow Sea,' and 'The Wailing.' It opens on the 15th.

Jo Ji-young, reporter soulhn1220@sportschosun.com