This New Sci-Fi Thriller From 'The Wailing' Director Is One of the Wildest Alien Movies You'll Ever See

Director Na Hong-jin rose to fame with the cult horror hit The Wailing, but then dropped off the radar for nearly a decade. During that time, he gained legendary status, and fans eagerly awaited his return.

He is now back with Hope – a genre-deconstructing sci-fi film that took the Cannes Film Festival by storm. It's a wild, at times parodic, yet incredibly gripping experience blending references to Predator, Mad Max, Marvel, and Korean social satire.

What Is 'Hope' About?

The small town of Hope Harbor, located on the border between North and South Korea, leads a quiet and predictable existence. However, this idyll is shattered when cow carcasses and, later, human body parts begin to appear in the surrounding area.

A police team led by Officers Bum-seok and Sung-ae launches an investigation that soon leads to a shocking discovery – an alien entity is active in the woods. Meanwhile, a group of hunters realizes that there is more than one alien.

Hope Harbor becomes the epicenter of an alien invasion, and its residents must now face a desperate battle for survival.

'Hope' Impresses With Its Alien Design & Its Mix of Tonalities and Genres

One of Na Hong-jin's most unexpected decisions was casting A-list stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander as the monsters. Their involvement adds an extra layer of irony and spectacle to the movie.

The dissection of alien bodies with a chainsaw, chase sequences, shootouts, and a constant balancing act between the absurd and the horrific create a unique, unmistakable atmosphere.

Na Hong-jin isn't afraid to mix genres and tones: the first half of the film is a tense pursuit of an unseen enemy, while the second half features epic forest battles involving chainsaws and other makeshift weapons.

Extraterrestrial mythology sits side by side with delightfully effective yet lowbrow humor. As it turns out, there are problems worse than geopolitical ones – namely, the incompetence of valiant defenders and ordinary citizens alike, which borders on outright idiocy.

'Hope' Is One of the Most Extraordinary Sci-Fi Projects of Recent Years

Cinematographer Hong Kyung-pyo, who worked on Parasite, and composer Michael Abels, known for Get Out, create visuals and a soundscape that are simultaneously mesmerizing and suspenseful.

While not every element of the movie is perfect – the CGI lacks finesse at times, the editing could be more dynamic, and the finale feels more like a breather than a fully realized conclusion – it remains one of the boldest and most unconventional sci-fi projects of recent years.

The 52-year-old director's genuine enthusiasm and youthful, uncompromising zeal are both admirable and frustrating, but they leave no one indifferent.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Hope'?

• Hope has 80% from critics and 76% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 6.9/10.

• On Letterboxd, Hope scored 3.3/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Hope'?

Hope is currently playing in theaters.