The best movie screening at 2025’s Fantasia International Film Festival is… a slapstick Korean superhero flick? Color me surprised, but Hi-Five truly delivers the goods in a way that many modern superhero origin stories simply do not. Of course, it all starts from the ground up. A ridiculous script from writer/director Kang Hyung-chul lampoons tropes and embraces the most ridiculous elements of its setup. If Kick-Ass and Everything Everywhere All At Once clashed in a Korean convenience store, the bloody mess would look exactly like Hi-Five. Led by an excellent ensemble, colorful vibes, and contagious frenetic energy, Hi-Five delivers major summer blockbuster vibes with tongue held firmly in cheek.
Deep into the night, a mysterious organ donor’s body disintegrates into ashes after a rushed transplant process. One by one, the recipients of the six organs begin discovering strange new powers, along with a mysterious tattoo that appears on their bodies. Five of them decide to team up almost reluctantly as they identify the others who have become gifted. The heart, corneas, lungs, liver, and kidneys go to worthy individuals, whilst the pancreas unfortunately fuels the sadistic whims of a power-hungry titan. This is the origin story of a heroic group known as Hi-Five! Wan-seo (Lee Jae-in), a young girl deeply enmeshed in the sacred art of Taekwondo, gains super speed and strength; hip and stylish Ki-dong (Yoo Ah-in) can control electricity; failed novelist Ji-seong (Ahn Jae-hong) can blow powerful gusts of wind; factory manager Yak-seon (Kim Hee-won) gains the power to heal; and yogurt saleswoman Seon-nyeo (Ra Mi-Ran) is still discovering what her power entails.
Naturally, one of them becomes the villain of the piece. A cult leader claiming to be a God, Young-chun (Shin Goo), gets perhaps the most concerning power of the group—he can drain the life energy from anyone he touches, funneling back into himself and his appearance. The de-aged version of Young-chun, played by adorable South Korean boy group member Jinyoung, emerges as a real threat when he sets out on a dangerous path of snatching the powers of the Hi-Five to appease his many followers. Jinyoung gives more than just eye candy as Young-chun clashes outrageously against the group in a propulsive finale. All of the performances embrace Hi-Five‘s absurdist humor as the plot deliriously flies off the rails.
Kang Hyung-chul finds a perfect meta tone that references superhero cliche, but also paves a bold path ahead for this motley crew of characters. He finds a way for each of their special abilities to come in handy when they are most needed, often calling on teamwork. An absolutely killer soundtrack filled with English-language hits elevates the energy of the piece—Ki-dong, eventually dubbed by the hero nickname of Bluetooth Man, practically curates the hits with a snap of his fingers. At one point, Bluetooth Man quite literally Rick Rolls the crazed pursuers and anyone in the area with Rick Astley’s signature tune, “Never Gonna Give You Up.” At another interval, he makes a grand entrance set to “Sunglasses At Night.” Each of the song choices perfectly suit whatever mania unfolds onscreen, and adds significantly to the character’s suave personality.
Despite running nearly two hours, Hi-Five has a fast-paced energy fueled by the use of superpowers. This crew essentially stumbles their way through discovering how to utilize their strengths. Though there is a plethora of CGI used in the action scenes, it somehow perfectly suits the overall tone of the unfolding action. Epic fighting, over-the-top acrobatics, and laugh-out-loud antics make the battles engaging instead of monotonous in nature. There’s even a fair bit of heart to be found in the story of these mismatched people taking solace in one another’s company. As always, expect a crisis of faith to happen at some point, leading to an eventual reteaming more powerful that ever before. While that element may not provide any shocks, the effective bond between these well-written archetypes certainly came as a surprise.
Clever and hilarious, Hi-Five has all the makings of a modern cult classic. One can only hope that the immaculate setup of this quirky superhero movie can lead to future sequels to further explore the unique dynamic. As one supervillain falls, perhaps another rises. How refreshing that a film of this nature isn’t just trying to setup a sprawling universe or go for some deeper meaning. Best of all, none of this takes itself too seriously, either—Hi-Five simply has a blast as it unfolds in a riveting display of fireworks, yogurt, and toe-snapping.
Hi-Five had its Quebec premiere at 2025’s Fantasia Film Festival.
