A young girl goes on a quest to rescue her best friend, a genetically engineered super pig, from the clutches of a multinational company.
DRAMA/SCI-FI
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Okja (2017)Directed by Bong Joon Ho
Written by Bong Joon Ho and Jon Ronson Starring Seo-hyun Ahn, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito, Steven Yeun, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, Lily Collins, Devon Bostick, Hee-Bong Byun |
The more of Bong Joon Ho's films I watch, the closer he becomes to being one of my favorite filmmakers working today. I've now seen three of his films (Snowpiercer, Parasite, and this film) and I plan to watch the rest of them. He is a master at combining the impossible with a glimmer of hope. His characters are so human, both in depth and in darkness, and Okja shows this quality more than most. This is a film about an unlikely friendship that becomes strong enough for a young girl to risk everything to save her friend. And that friend just happens to be a genetically engineered super pig designed to be a new flavor of pork.
Mija (Ahn) is a young Korean girl living in the mountains with her grandfather (Byun) and Okja, who was given to her grandfather ten years prior as part of a budding publicity stunt. Now, when the time arrives, the Mirando Corporation shows up to take Okja away to America where she'll be slaughtered for meat. Mija joins forces with the Animal Liberation Front and together, they plan to rescue Okja and bring the corporation to its knees. It's a heart-wrenching, emotional journey that will force you to reexamine your stance on the meat industry. I was surprised and impressed by the amount of western talent that Bong managed to wrangle for this movie. Swinton, Dano, Gyllenhaal, Esposito, Yeun, such a great ensemble. The performances are awesome, the visual effects are remarkable, and the film is intense and touching. Definitely another notch in Bong's belt. |