Hope - 160 minutes

If you are into monster movies, you are likely never to have seen anything quite as bizarre and extreme as this Korean mystery, science fiction thriller.

The first 50 minutes presents the point of view of police chief Beom Seok (Hwang Jung-min) running around like a chook without a head.

Why? Because he is trying to make sense of something terrorising the neighbourhood.

At that point, we – the audience – have no idea of just what is scaring the bejesus out of everyone that spots it. 

All we hear are loud growling sounds and images of wholesale destruction with, at first, no people on the streets and then very few.

Backtrack a little and the police chief has been called to a dirt road where a deeply scarred cow lies dead.

When the chief asks a group of likely lads what caused this, they make up a story about a tiger.

At first, the chief dismisses this as impossible before buying into the conceit and relaying that back to the station, warning everyone to be careful.

It soon becomes clear that any fears about a tiger are nothing compared to the extraordinary reality confronting this community in a place called Hope Harbor.

When we finally get to see vision of the predator, it shocks. Hugely powerful, lightning fast, it kills everything in its wake. Dead bodies and body parts lie everywhere.

The police chief drives around after the monster like a madman. When his car crashes, he chases it on foot, gun in hand (as if that is going to have any effect on the beast!).

He is later joined by his enthusiastic subordinate, young officer Sung Ae (Hoyeon).

As the first hour passes, the mystery deepens in the nearby forest.

The likely lads, led by Sung Ki (Zo In-sung), who proves to be a remarkably adept horse rider, stumble across a find that will ramp up the stakes.

Widely reported as the most expensive Korean movie ever made, it is the brainchild of writer and director Na Hong-jin, who doesn’t hold back.

You need to suspend belief to buy into the totally preposterous happenings in Hope.

Visually, much of the first 60 minutes or so is quite something. The path of devastation is titanic in proportions.

The acting is deliberately over the top. In fact, everything about this production is excessive.

Director Na Hong-jin has gone for overreach (with a decidedly humorous touch) and how!

The dialogue isn’t exactly highbrow.

Here is an example: “How many people has it killed? Monster or not, this is just not right.”

Still, it is fun, in a feverish sort of way – a creature feature with some insanely ridiculous moments.

It is also interesting to note that two of the monsters are voiced by acclaimed husband and wife acting duo Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander.

While not for everyone, I dare say Hope will develop a cult following.

It scores a 7 out of 10.