Michael Fassbender’s Cannes-Favorite Sci-Fi Epic Draws Phenomenal RT Reviews

Michael Fassbender‘s movie just landed a strong Rotten Tomatoes score after its Cannes premiere. The South Korean sci-fi thriller, Hope, earned praise for its action but divided critics over its visual effects.

What critics are saying about Hope in reviews

Na Hong-jin’s Hope premiered at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 17. The South Korean sci-fi thriller stars Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Taylor Russell, Michael Fassbender, and Alicia Vikander. Critics largely praised the film’s action sequences and Na Hong-jin’s direction.

Chase Hutchinson of TheWrap called it “the all-time great new action film.” He added that Hope “contains more magnificent moments in its opening act than most do in their entire runtime.” Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian awarded it four out of five stars. He noted “top-quality entertainment value” from the film. The Hollywood Reporter‘s David Rooney praised the creature designs as “strikingly original.” He also highlighted the film’s “cheeky sense of humor” and “thrilling action.”

However, several critics flagged issues with the visual effects. Variety‘s Jessica Kiang advised audiences to “mostly ignore the janky VFX.” IndieWire‘s David Ehrlich gave the film a D+ grade. He wrote that “something went terribly wrong in the making of this movie.” Time Out‘s Philip de Semlyen described watching his “favourite new movie start to fall apart.” Despite this, he acknowledged the director was “playing another blinder” for the opening hour.

Nicholas Barber of the BBC gave it four out of five stars. He described the film as racing through genres while maintaining “full-throttle energy.” The Irish Times’ Tara Brady praised the cinematography and practical effects specifically. She noted these elements gave the action sequences real weight. Meanwhile, Screen International‘s Wendy Ide called the film a “pedal-to-the-metal slaughterfest” with “breathless pace.”

Hope gets a strong score on Rotten Tomatoes

The film currently holds an 85% approval rating from 26 critics on Rotten Tomatoes. On Metacritic, it scored 69 out of 100 based on 18 reviews. That indicates a “Generally Favorable” reception overall.

The film is scheduled for a summer 2026 release in South Korea, with Neon distributing in North America.

Source: Comingsoon.net