The chatter on the Croisette amongst critics is that the competition in Cannes this year has been rather underwhelming and in serious need of a film that shakes things up a bit as the festival heads into its second week. What was needed was Hope… figuratively, and literally as it turns out.
You would have been mistaken for thinking that Na Hong-Jin’s Korean sci-fi actioner was part of the midnight screening strand, given the enthusiastic response to the press screening in the Debussy. The normally reserved audience elicited cheers and rounds of applause at multiple crowd-pleasing moments.
To maximise one’s enjoyment of the experience, one should go in as blind as possible. The press notes only featured the following synopsis: A mysterious discovery is made near the port city of Hope Harbour. The inhabitants are fighting for their survival…
This film hits the ground running with one of the most breathlessly exhilarating action sequences of recent years. From the discovery of a mutilated cow at the outset of the film, it does not take long for all hell to break loose. A near-enough cold open, hour-long first act that is just the main character of Bun-Seok, a small town cop way out of his depth, reacting to the town-wide rampage of a mysterious creature. It is superbly staged, shot, scored, and edited. The most adrenaline-pumping, heart-pounding sixty minutes of cinema you will see this year.
Full credit to the filmmaking team for holding their nerve and waiting until the forty-five-minute mark before giving the characters, and the audience, their first real look at the creature. Although, was that because the moment contains some incredibly ropey CGI that gave horrifying flashbacks to The Rock’s appearance as The Scorpion King at the end of The Mummy Returns?
At that stage, it would be fair to say that everything has pointed towards some form of Korean kaiju. Bellowing roars, deep claw marks, large footprints, buildings and bodies ripped apart. However, it turns out, Hope is not exactly that kind of movie. To reveal what it evolves into would actually do it a disservice. Even if one did, it probably would not stop the constant thoughts of “what the f*ck am I watching?” In the most enjoyable way, of course.
Na Hong-Jin proved with The Wailing, which also premiered at Cannes in 2016, that he can easily navigate between genres and tone. It took horror and successfully infused it with the blackest sense of humour. Nope evolves across multiple genres during its near-three-hour runtime, but uses humour to undercut the tension and absurdity of the situation. Including one toilet-humour-heavy moment of exposition that had the audience gagging and squirming in their seats.
This is by no means a perfect film, let alone a complete one. The screenplay is light on exposition except for the last 10 minutes. When it rushes through setting up a sequel and/or franchise. Characterisation is paper-thin, but each of the actors is afforded individual moments to shine during the relentless action, e.g. Hoyeon’s slo-mo machine-gun-toting entrance or Zo In-Sung during a car chase to rival One Battle After Another‘s.
Despite its flaws, Hong-Jin’s film has an energy and confidence in its execution that is simply infectious. It will sweep you up and carry you along for the ride. This is a movie that knows exactly what it is and is completely unapologetic about it.
Do we live in a world where a film like this can win the Palme D’Or? We live in Hope!
P.S. If you are coming to this film because of the casting of Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander… it is safe to say you have never seen them like this before!
Hope screened in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival
Rating: 
Director: Na Hong-Jin
Stars: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-Sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender
Runtime: 140 minutes
Country: South Korea
