Hope: NA Hong-jin’s propulsive action film starts strong and never lets go: in a small village on South Korea’s northern hills, a chief police officer investigates the deaths of animals, only to discover that monsters may be on the loose. The story is silly, but the whole is very entertaining, particularly because of the interaction of the protagonist with other characters: an old hunter he bumps into, his rookie deputy, a young man who may hold the key to understanding what’s going on. HWANG Jung-min plays the ever-cursing policeman quite well; ZO In-sung, a hunter who leads a parallel effort to understand what’s going on; Hoyeon, the gorgeous and incredibly competent deputy with a taste for big guns; they are all pretty good. The special effects are quite silly, but they don’t hinder the entertainment value. Editor KIM Sun-min balances the needs of the story and creates tension masterfully; cinematographer HONG Kyung-pyo’s camerawork is very dynamic and effective. Composer Michael Abels’ musical score is quite effective in giving the film its sense of pace and tension.