Hope (2026)

Hope

• I’m gonna attempt to keep this review short, since so much happens in this film that I really don’t want to give away. Even if you’ve seen it, and know what happens, I still want you to make your own interpretations about the events and the ending. But for those you haven’t seen it, go in blind, you’ll enjoy it so much better. The only thing I knew going into it was just what was in the trailer, which really isn’t all that much. All you know is there’s a monster, and people are fighting it. You don’t need to know more than that. I think the screenplay is quite good but most of the fun comes in the running and shooting and bleeding and killing. It’s a very well shot film, and every action sequence is about as awesome as it can get. There’s almost constant movement, whether in the camera or the characters, and even the still, quiet moments feel shaky. Especially in the third act, every chase sequence is freaking phenomenal. I can’t remember the last time I felt action scenes with this much intensity in a theater. The sound design was really good, with scary monster noises, a natural environment, and tons of gunfire and explosions that help deliver the intensity. The score was also booming and full of dread. It didn’t necessarily stand out from other action films, but when the music was playing, you KNEW it. The main cast was pretty solid, and I was very impressed with everyone, even the dorky or side characters. They all communicate immense fear through their facial expressions, and their line deliveries were also on point (and quite hilarious at times). Lastly, the VFX was easily the weakest element of the film. They were very choppy and looked like a PS3 game, but I actually really liked that. It made the antagonists feel very unreal, but in a good way. Overall, this is an immensely fun film that is full of tension, mystery, and violence, yet very funny and down to earth at times. It might feel a bit long, but I enjoyed it, and I’m quite glad I saw this in a theater. I would recommend this to all action/sci-fi fans, especially if you like films such as ‘The Host’ or ‘A Quiet Place’. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go see it now!