The Last Hunt (1956)

Because it was directed by Na Hong-jin, the mastermind behind The Wailing, one of the best movies of 2016, and marketed as the most expensive movie in South Korean history, I was excited to see Hope. However, despite it being one of the most visually impressive action movies I’ve ever seen, everything else fell short of my expectations.

The movie follows a group of hunters led by Sung-ki (Zo In-sung), and the police chief Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) from a small harbor village near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as they investigate a mysterious creature wreaking havoc in their community. Believing the threat is a tiger, the chief investigates the village, while the hunters search the forest. I watched the film believing it was a standalone story, and I ended up disappointed by everything except the exquisite camerawork and high-speed, adrenaline-fueled action. Afterward, I discovered that Na Hong-jin plans a trilogy, with Hope as the first installment, and my disappointment only deepened.