Hope (Hopeu, 2026) (en)
As a rule, I don’t watch trailers — except for movies I’ve already seen or ones I probably won’t watch. Hope fell into the second category: on August 9, 2026, its teaser was suggested to me on YouTube. I clicked on it. I was expecting something generic and, perhaps, with a cool aesthetic. However, I must admit I was intrigued: there was something different about it.
What caught my attention most was the high production value combined with the mention of the Cannes Film Festival—the film was in the running for the Palme d’Or. However, what really hooked me was its setting: set in a small town in South Korea in the 1980s, judging by the cars and buildings—in fact, this “low-tech” aspect—such as the use of landline phones, analog cameras, bicycles, and even horses—adds a very interesting dynamic to the narrative: a greater need for travel and in-person exploration of the locations.
Another aspect that captivated me was the atmosphere of mystery, which is very reminiscent of the beginning of the Halo 3: ODST campaign, in which the protagonist makes his way into the city shortly after a major battle in which he did not participate. Given this, he begins an investigation in which he gathers clues to understand what happened, with danger always lurking.
In this regard, Hope is brilliant: it delivers excellent suspense and action scenes that unfold during the day, in open settings and wide shots. Everything goes well until the first 48 minutes of the film, led by Police Chief Ko Bum-seok. From there, the problems begin, and two of them occur simultaneously: poor visual effects and the premature revelation of the mystery that had kept the viewer on the edge of their seat, anxious—since the film’s total runtime is 2 hours and 36 minutes.
However, if we set aside the technical aspects — I’m referring to the low-quality CGI — and focus solely on the narrative, I’d say that hope survives until 1 hour and 1 minute, when police officer Im Sung-ae meets up with Bum-seok and, together, they star in the film’s most mind-blowing scene. After that, the film loses its rhythm and direction, and there’s nothing else of note; it merely sets the stage for a Western cast that, despite their talent, comes across as more intrusive than the characters they portray.
As such, Hope: The First Impact is a film with great potential, and precisely for that reason, it disappoints with its clumsy execution in the final two-thirds—leaving one to wonder how much the director’s vision, the budget, and interference from producers and the studio weighed on the final result.
I believe a new, leaner edit using the existing scenes could “save” it. While we wait for a hypothetical “director’s cut,” I’ve come up with a fanfic, outlining how I would do it if the task were in my hands. I’ve already imagined two or three alternative versions of the film. If I turn them into text, I’ll write a new post titled Half-Hope – A Fan-made Cut.
P.S.: The review has been ready since October 14, but I didn’t have the courage to publish it at the time. Because when I finished the last paragraph, I realized that Hope evokes conflicting feelings in me: even with all the problems I’ve pointed out, it’s impossible to remain indifferent to it. It sounds as if the good part is the first movie (excellent, even with the bad CGI) and the bad part is its sequel (confusing script, even though it has some cool action scenes). Anyway, I believe it will become a cult classic.
Related Links
I also recommend these two video reviews:
HOPE Explained: Why Korea Is Divided Over Na Hong-jin's New Film - Hana from Korea - YouTube
The Craziest Alien Movie of the Year? | Hope REALLY Explained - Pandora Central - YouTube
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