Most expensive South Korean film "Hope" Why are they devastating everything? Alien invasion turns into a wild action spectacle
"Squid Game" star Jung Ho-yeon fights angry beasts as a policewoman.
Image: © Filmcoopi
Together with leading actor Hwang Jung-min, she forms a fearful but also helpless police duo.
Image: © Filmcoopi
Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Jung Ho-yeon at the premiere in Cannes.
Image: © Filmcoopi
"Squid Game" star Jung Ho-yeon fights angry beasts as a policewoman.
Image: © Filmcoopi
Together with leading actor Hwang Jung-min, she forms a fearful but also helpless police duo.
Image: © Filmcoopi
Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Jung Ho-yeon at the premiere in Cannes.
Image: © Filmcoopi
Another cinema highlight from South Korea. In the action-packed horror film "Hope", a strange beast ravages a remote village. It looks fabulous, is relentlessly brutal and insanely funny.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- In the South Korean film "Hope" by Na Hong-jin, a policeman and his fearless rookie colleague chase an unknown creature that causes a wave of destruction in the village.
- Alicia Vikander, Michael Fassbender and Taylor Russell slip into the roles of these alien characters and "Squid Game" star Jung Ho-yeon plays the young policewoman.
- At the premiere in Cannes, the film received several rounds of applause.
It is no longer a secret that the South Korean film industry produces excellent works. "Parasite" by Bong Joon-ho won four Academy Awards in 2020, including for Best Film.
The Netlix series "Squid Game" caused a real hype worldwide and also won several awards, including several Emmy Awards. And last year, "No Other Choice" by Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) was celebrated by critics and audiences alike. However, the film was denied an Oscar nomination, which surprised many.
At this year's Cannes Film Festival, a new South Korean highlight is competing for the Palme d'Or. "Hope" by Na Hong-jin is considered to be the most expensive film ever made in South Korea.
International stars in the roles of the aliens
This is already evident in the renowned cast: with the married couple Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender as well as Taylor Russell, international acting stars were engaged for the roles of the extraterrestrial beings. Their size and color are reminiscent of the Na'vi from "Avatar", while their fierce faces are more reminiscent of the orcs from "The Lord of the Rings".
Leading actor Hwang Jung-min is also joined by "Squid Game" star Jung Ho-yeon, who is also a successful model.
What makes "Hope" exciting from a dramaturgical point of view is that the first hour of the film tells the story from the perspective of a policeman as disaster strikes his deserted village within a short space of time. However, the exact cause of this disaster is not revealed.
"Shibal..." murmurs the policeman (Hwang Jung-min) with the cool aviator glasses over and over again as he runs after the huge catastrophe. In Korean, this means something like "Sh*****" and in view of the precarious situation, the word is more than justified. A group of young hunters traveling with shotguns contacted him first. They have discovered the carcass of a mighty bovine on the open road... More human and animal corpses appear and numerous houses are completely destroyed. Shots, screams and tremors can be heard again and again.
Continuation already being planned
When the cop finally sees what he is dealing with here, the shock is enormous: a 3-meter-tall muscular beast with a vicious grimace. On all fours, it runs as fast as a cheetah. It's a good thing that his courageous rookie colleague rushes to the policeman's aid at just the right moment. A legendary performance for shooting star Jung Ho-yeon, who shoots at the monster with a grenade launcher.
As the movie progresses, it turns out that there are even more aliens in the forest. And an alien baby is even missed by them. So these creatures are also given an emotional touch. But the reason for this invasion is never really explained. Presumably this will happen in the sequel to "Hope", which is already planned. Political messages could well come to light.
Low on content, but visually outstanding and incredibly cool
But the story is clearly in the background in "Hope". The action-horror film is first and foremost a great visual spectacle! It feels like a wild ride, creates thrills from the very first second and barely gives you time to catch your breath.
And it's not just the concentrated load of action that is visually captivating with impressive camera movements. The movie also looks incredibly cool when it stages its heroic characters. And it looks breathtakingly beautiful when it captures the expansive landscapes near the sea with strong, natural color tones.
Hope" also contains a good dose of humor. The conversations between the cop and the villagers are always hilarious because there is a general sense of confusion and they can't understand what is happening to them.
A Swiss cinema release date for "Hope" should be announced soon. Until then, there are various classics on blue Play, such as "Parasite" and "J'accuse", which premiered in Cannes.
