Good News (2025)
Directed by Byun Sung-hyun
[Rated TV-MA] 2hr 16min
★★★★
Good News is a dark comedy thriller about a group of revolutionaries who hijack a plane in Japan and try to land it to Pyongyang. Meanwhile, the Japanese, Korean, and US governments must work together to find creative solutions that will bring the plane back and save the hostages, but numerous bureaucratic obstacles remain in the way of successfully executing their plans.
This is a hilarious film with a very unique style. Its use of exaggerated visuals really emphasizes the ridiculousness of the story and highlights the excessive corruption in governments and corporations. The film also incorporates its thriller elements incredibly well, as the looming threat to the safety of the hostages on the plane is reinforced through key moments that heighten the stakes. The humor is excellent all around, as the jokes and visual gags are consistently funny throughout the entire film. Although the runtime starts to feel a bit long towards the end, the themes only get stronger and come together perfectly by the film’s conclusion.
I recommend Good News to anyone who enjoys absurd dark comedies and thrillers. It offers sharp criticisms of bureaucracy and capitalism through its humorous scenarios, and it’s highly entertaining overall. The film had its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, and is coming to streaming next month.
Good News will be released on Netflix on October 17th. Click here to watch the trailer.
– Review by Will Hopper