Na Hong-jin, creator of psychological horror in The Wailing, has presented his new project at Cannes: Hope. The film has left critics stunned by combining horse chases, cars, and aliens in a relentless action-packed spectacle. This radical shift in tone has generated divided opinions on the Croisette, where some applaud the risk while others wonder what the director has been smoking.
Chaos as a narrative and technical engine 🎬
Hope bets on a frenetic editing style that gives the viewer no respite. The action scenes, shot with long takes and steadycam, aim to immerse the audience in controlled chaos. The blend of practical effects (real horses, wrecked cars) with extraterrestrial CGI creates a visual texture reminiscent of Mad Max, but with more honking. The sound, saturated with screams and engines, reinforces the sense of overwhelm. Na Hong-jin abandons slow suspense to embrace a direct and visceral narrative.
The Wailing becomes wow, wow, wow 👽
If you were expecting another film about demonic possessions and crying, forget it. Here, aliens don't whisper; they run you over. Critics are divided between those who see it as a stroke of genius and those who think Na Hong-jin had too much soju before filming. The fun part is watching a serious horror director turn into Michael Bay with horses. Hope doesn't convince everyone, but at least it proves that aliens also know how to go wild.