By Matthew Moorcoft

Strong Recommendation

• Directed by Na Hong-jin
• Starring Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Eum Moon-suk
• R

Ever see a flick that you genuinely have no idea how to react to right out of the movie theater?

That’s likely the reaction that most people will have to Hope, the first film in ten years from Korean director Na Hong-jin. A passion project that spent nearly half a decade in post-production, Hope will confund those not prepared, surprise those who are, and absolutely alienate everybody else; a film that seems purposefully designed from the ground up to be a bizarre, gonzo blockbuster that is unapologetic about what it is.

But for those who know Hong-jin, whose work is varied in the four films he has made so far, Hope being as strange as it is shouldn’t come as much of a shock. He has a real tendency as a director to make every film he makes as the possible final one he will ever make, and Hope certainly has that vibe even if another film is for sure on it’s way. It throws everything at the wall and then some, from destruction that would make Michael Bay blush, rocket launchers, horseback riding action, car chases, dense sci-fi lore, a hint of socio-politics, gross out comedy, and even a little of horror just to seal the deal.

Our story is simple. The small town of Hope Harbor, a border town close to the demilitarized zone of Korea, is under siege by something. What is that something? For the first chunk of the film, it’s only really hinted at, but once we get a clear look – janky CGI and all – it’s still not really clear either. Hope leaves a lot of it’s deeply bizarre choices for the tailend of the picture when the ball drops on what it’s actually about, but even until that point Hope maintains a propulsive momentum to it’s setpieces that it’s more thrilling at points to just go for the ride. You can really argue that Hope is just two action scenes stitched together by a prologue and mid-way point exposition dump, and that would be an accurate summation.

But both action sequences are some of the best stuff of the year, with brilliant cinematography that sweeps and zooms across the impressively rendered production design and set work while also never resorting to fast cuts or the opposite spectrum of long takes to give geography to it’s action. Instead, everything feels calculated and precise, with each beat feeling like the right piece in a jigsaw puzzle that when put together creates a beautiful tapestry of gory, gory violence. It’s fascinating that this even played at Cannes to begin, not simply because of it’s blockbuster status, but because it’s leanings feel more akin to ultra violent DTV pictures rather then high art.

But the blur between high art and low brow entertainment is part of the charm of Hope, which does meld the two in a way that feels like the birth of a new kind of blockbuster. Once the last act occurs, which includes one of the best car chases put to screen in a hot minute and one of the most batshit final 10 minutes of a film in recent memory, you start to see Hong-jin’s demented vision for what it truly is.

The fact any of this even works at all is mostly the committed performances of the entire cast. Jung Ho-yeon in particular is a revelation, making her film debut with as stunning an entrance as possible – it’s seriously maybe the biggest fist-pumping, coolest moment of the entire year film wise – and just combining that with a mix of humor, charisma, and strong action chops. The cast manages to sell the interactions especially with the monsters well enough that the aforementioned jank CGI, which is indeed rather janky and unrefined, isn’t necessarily an issue. If the CGI was better, I suspect more people would be on board for the otherwise strong integration of practical and special effects, but otherwise the weak CG work is the only blemish on a film that is otherwise perfect.

Well, almost perfect. It is worth noting that Hope is ultimately half, maybe even a third, of a movie, clearly ending in such a way that sets up another installment in a grander saga. As it stands then, it’s difficult to view Hope as anything other then setup unfournately, which does mean that it’s an incomplete work even it’s themes of “preparing for the invisible enemy” and vengeance gone rampant fail to reach their natural conclusions on both ends of the spectrum.

But for those able to overlook those things, you will find Hope to be one of the year’s most original, more deliriously entertaining affairs. It’s one of the best action flicks in recent memory, one of the most unique monster movies in the pantheon, and one of the most gonzo, bizarre blockbusters ever released to a mainstream audience. And it’s also 100%, absolutely worth your time.