Overview
- The film’s Competition debut Sunday at the Cannes Film Festival prompted a roughly six-minute standing ovation, with mid-film set pieces drawing loud applause inside the Grand Théâtre Lumière.
- Critics praise the turbo-charged action, precision stunt work, and Hong Kyung-pyo’s kinetic daytime cinematography, while noting weightless-looking CGI in places and a slack middle in the 160-minute runtime.
- Set in a village near Korea’s Demilitarized Zone, the big-budget sci‑fi action story follows a community torn apart by an otherworldly threat, led on screen by Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, and Hoyeon with roles for Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell, and Cameron Britton.
- Neon acquired rights for North America, the U.K., and Australia and plans a U.S. theatrical release after the film’s summer bow in South Korea, while Mubi took multiple territories across Europe and Latin America.
- Developed since 2017 and Na’s first film in Cannes’ main competition, Hope showcases Korea’s largest-scale production ambitions through Forged Films with financing and international sales via Plus M Entertainment, and some reviews suggest the story leaves room for further chapters.