“Khan’s Biggest Shock”: Why Foreign Media Can’t Stop Praising Hong Jin-ho’s New Film ‘Hope’

Hong Jin-ho’s return shakes Cannes with 'Hope'

Director Hong Jin-ho’s new work, 'Hope', has taken the stage at the 79th Cannes International Film Festival in the Competition section, drawing cheers from critics around the world. After 'The Chaser', 'Yellow Sea', and 'The哭성', Hong Jin-ho—who has brought all of his feature directorial efforts to the Cannes stage—shows yet another distinctive genre twist in this film. By freely crossing between action, thriller, and comedy, the movie delivers heightened tension and has been praised for perfectly meeting the high expectations of the global film industry.

A nonstop run of praise from major foreign outlets: “The best action movie of all time”

Reactions from influential overseas media are explosive. The British daily newspaper The Guardian awarded it 4 out of 5, saying, “A wild alien battle delivers top-tier entertainment, making the 'K-wave' even more intense.” French fashion magazine Vogue France also dubbed it “the biggest shock of this year’s Cannes Film Festival,” reporting that, “The tension and fear unleashed while concealing the monster overwhelm other competing works.”

Positive coverage from American outlets is also coming in one after another. TheWrap listed 'Hope' as “one of the best action movies of all time,” and The Hollywood Reporter praised its dazzling camera work and overwhelming momentum. Deadline praised the harmony created by 'Hong Kyung-pyo', the cinematographer, and 'Yoo Sang-seop', the martial arts director, calling it “the kind of level that Hollywood would envy.” That said, there are also mixed perspectives, including critiques of The Guardian’s ending twist and commentary on whether viewers liked or disliked the aliens’ appearance, as well as some negative reactions to IndieWire’s screenplay and parts of the CGI completion quality.

Sailing along with a 2.8 rating from Screen Daily—strong odds of landing in the top tier

Despite some mixed evaluations, 'Hope'’s position within the Cannes festival remains solid. It is currently cruising after earning an average rating of 2.8 from Screen Daily, the festival’s official news magazine. That’s the third-highest score among the 12 competing titles whose ratings have been revealed so far.

Following 'Pawel Pawlikowski'’s 'Fatherland' (3.3 points) and 'Ryusuke Hamaguchi'’s 'All of a Sudden' (3.1 points), it sets a record—so considering the current situation in which many competing works are stuck in the 1-point range, expectations for 'Hope' to secure a final finish in the top tier are extremely high.