Hope (koreanische OmeU) // 40. Fantasy Filmfest // Deutschlandpremiere // Abschlussfilm

Hope

The fact that Na Hong-jin has always been somewhat overshadowed by his compatriots Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook is one of the great injustices of modern world cinema. But HOPE is now setting the record straight. With this film, Na fulfills all the promises he made with his first three films. For if THE CHASER, THE YELLOW SEA, and THE WAILING were already pure cinema—a furious blend of action and a wild frenzy of light and deep shadows—then HOPE is adrenaline translated directly into images. 

The first hour leaves us speechless, and in the second half, you start to doubt your own sanity. Seriously, you think to yourself, he wouldn’t dare. But Na does dare! His electrifying horror thriller about an alien invasion is to encounters of the third kind what *Sicario* was to the drug cartel thriller: First and foremost, flawless action, with a seemingly endless, incredible sixty-minute sequence that breathlessly surges forward, tearing a tiny fishing village apart by every trick in the book. It then culminates in a somersault-inducing alien spectacle in the neighboring forest that has everything a movie fan could wish for: Let’s raise a glass of soju to that. Or maybe a whole bottle would be better?

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The fact that Na Hong-jin has always stood somewhat in the shadow of his fellow countrymen Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook is one of the great injustices of modern world cinema. HOPE finally sets the record straight. With this film, Na delivers on all the promises he made with his first three films. Because if *THE CHASER*, *THE YELLOW SEA*, and *THE WAILING* were already pure cinema—a furious blend of action and a feverish rush of light and shadow—then *HOPE* is adrenaline translated directly into images.

The first hour leaves us speechless, and in the second half we begin to question our own sanity. “Really?” you find yourself thinking. “Surely he’s not actually going to do that.” But Na does. His electrifying horror thriller about an alien invasion does for third-contact encounters what *SICARIO* did for the drug cartel thriller: first and foremost, it is pure, flawless action, featuring a relentless, astonishing sixty-minute sequence that propels the story forward without pause, tearing apart a tiny fishing village with breathtaking precision. It then culminates in an absolutely jaw-dropping alien spectacle in the nearby forest, delivering everything a movie fan could possibly wish for. Time for a glass of soju. Or perhaps better yet, an entire bottle?

Film: Hope (South Korea 2026)
Director: Na Hong-jin
Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender
Screenplay: Na Hong-jin
Runtime: 160 min
Language version: Korean with English subtitles

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