Okja

2017’s “Okja” directed by Boon Jo Hong.

Starring Seo-hyun Ahn, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Giancarlo Esposito, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Daniel Henshall, Devon Bostick, and Shirley Henderson.

What is it about?

“Okja” is a story about a corporation (lead by Tilda Swinton, doing double duty here, along with right hand man, Giancarlo Esposito) that produces super sized pigs (basically a cross between an elephant and a hippopotamus). As a publicity stunt, the corporation places 10 of their pork products with random families across the world, and Okja is placed with a young Korean girl (Seo-hyun Ahn). We meet them in the forests of Korea, and see the bond the 2 of them share, before the corporation comes calling (including corporate pitch man Jake Gyllenhaal ) to march the animals in a New York parade, before sending them to the slaughterhouse. Ahn is met up with by the Animal Liberation Front (lead by a Paul Dano), who would like to see Okja returned to freedom. Will the vegetarian based rebels be able to save Okja, or will she end up on consumer’s plates?

Why is it worth seeing?

After such genre successes such as “The Host” and “Snowpiercer”, Hong is back, proving Korea continues to make some of the most interesting films around (Park Chan-Wook made my #1 film of 2017, “The Handmaiden”). As always, Hong makes many changes in tone through the movie, and while not always successful, does juggle them to great effect. 

After the most proficient graphic design credits of 2017, we get to see the bonding of Ahn and her CGI creature. With it demonstrating the intelligence of a pig with the loyalty of a canine, their bond is special, and tested when the corporation that designed it comes calling for a return on their product. Our central beast proves one feeling like we want to calm it when it is scared and hug it when it is lonely- similar to the recent “Planet of the Apes” trilogy in terms of animals being more human than the humans.

Hong also stages some great chase sequences featuring Ahn, rising from the separation anxiety after Okja leaves Ahn, where it’s tough not to think of something like a bizarro “The Terminator”, in their single minded kinetic pursuit. But the most dominant genre running through the corporate satire is that of humour, as Hong goes to great lengths to show just how perverted and ridiculous corporate “meetings” are.

To say the movie’s values are against Concentrated Animal Farming Operations is clear, as well as the entire industrialized meat industry (although it doesn’t go quite as far as 2006’s “Fast Food Nation”). CGI or not, this is what efficiently farming animals for their meat looks like. Despite the laughs, thrills, and one of the most intimate scenes of the year throughout this well cast movie, ultimately that will likely be people’s biggest beef with the film.

Rating:

4/5

Trailer: Click Here.