17/09/2026
Na Hong-jin’s Korean sci-fi monster movie has an incredible first hour: light humour, gorgeous cinematography, huge daytime action and a mystery that keeps you guessing what’s really destroying Hope Harbor.
But at nearly two hours and forty minutes, the pacing seriously tested my patience. Almost every scene feels five minutes too long, and most set pieces contain an extra chase or sequence that could have been cut.
The cinematography is genuinely beautiful, making the small-town setting feel enormous. I also respect how brave the film is with its creatures: instead of hiding them in darkness, HOPE gives us wide shots, bright daylight and full views of the monsters. Unfortunately, some of the CGI doesn’t quite match the stunning photography, which made it difficult to stay immersed.
I loved the third-act reveal and the ideas behind what these creatures actually are, but the unfinished story left me asking: where did that mothership come from, and what happened to the kid?
HOPE is ambitious, funny, beautifully shot and occasionally brilliant — but its pacing, uneven CGI and unresolved story stop it from becoming the classic it wants to be.
Have you seen HOPE yet? What did you think?
