Hope Review: A dichotomy of brilliance and bafflingness
I almost didn't check out Hope because I couldn't justify the hour-long drive for one flick—I usually do double features, if not triple or quadruple. But with a theatrical extension and a miraculous day off out of nowhere, I triple-featured this, followed by Primetime and Forgotten Island. I love Korean cinema, as the general way directors approach storytelling and themes is just more electric—perhaps since the industry isn't as big, and they have to rely more on story than spectacle. I had reservations going into Hope, because a three-hour creature-feature saga doesn't usually sound like something that would work for me. However, Korean cinema has never failed me with character storytelling so far, and Emma from Spooky Astronauts gave a glowing review of the film's absurdities... So, did my logic-defying escapade make itself worth it, or was I just disappointed? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will be covering in today's review. Thanks so much for joining me today, and I hope you have a great day!
Let's start with the negatives so we can save the best for last. First, the second-act pacing went into a crushing crawl. While I enjoyed its pivot back into an atmospheric study before exploding in the final act, the investigative efforts were too mundane and lowered the film's batting average. While I don't condone some of Hollywood's runtime mandates for epic cinema, this film isn't quite a Rajamouli or Russo Brothers film—it doesn't need a 50-minute second act. Unlike the slow crawl and explosion of the first act—which starts with a 30-minute build-up to the film's horrifying, atmospheric mood and crescendos into an explosion of car-chase action—this attempt to build a more enigmatic mystery around the extraterrestrials never quite reaches the same level of interest.
The film also struggles with its visual effects. Much of the film looks wonderful, but the alien effects weren't the best. The creature designs may have been awesome, and the production design and on-site forestry were excellent, and the scale was grandiose, particularly during the car-chase action sequences. However, the creature animation and CGI needed a bigger budget and more prestigious talent.
The final 30 minutes may be the film at its most beautifully shot and intense, but it's intercut with some very problematic choices. Between random, massive, non-foreshadowed, diabolus ex machina stakes and baffling, uncanny, corny dialogue between the antagonists, the ending feels completely unearned. Like, were we actually supposed to feel sympathetic at the end? Like, I get the crying scene from earlier—in isolation, it raises interesting moral questions about reality versus hallucination and the sentience of otherworldly life. Conversely, the final scenes feel like an extended post-credits tease. If they want the aliens to be sympathetic eventually, that's fine! But that needs to be saved for the sequel, where there is actual time to build out the lore. I sure Hope we get the sequel, or this will feel even more hokey.
Nevertheless, this flick still has some great elements. The first hour uses Hitchcockian suspense that explodes into an iconic main-character introduction. It was a bold move to wait so long to see the main character and monster in action, but the gradual build made for a climactic introduction. This is followed by one of my favorite car chase sequences—the final one is great, but this first car chase was masterful and not bogged down by odd choices.
The action choreography is superb, using massive set pieces and the environment wonderfully. There are not only car chases, but horse chases, which are just as exhilarating. The forest's claustrophobia creates tangible tension, even if the logistics of plot armor mess with reality.
The characters are fun and deliver solid slapstick. There are wild gonzo scenes—from diarrhea retellings that somehow supersede my usual hard-no rules on potty humor to crazy arguments about autopsies and egg-stealing—and this chaotic cast brings the flawed yet fun film to life.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 58%
Letter Score: B-
Star Ranking: 3 out of 5
Hope is a wildly ambitious, three-hour Korean creature feature that blends high highs and low lows. Anchored by a masterfully suspenseful first act, thrillingly grandiose car and horse chases, and absurdly chaotic humor, the film is still bogged down by a bloated second act, subpar creature CGI, a rushed climax, unearned emotional beats, and awkward setup for a sequel we may never get.
Interested in checking out some recent reviews for some other sci-fi, horror or thriller films? See them below!
Brighton Nelson
Brighton Nelson
Brighton Nelson
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