Review of Okja

Okja is the story of a girl and her mutant pig, the titular Okja, told in the same vain as E.T. Or Pete's Dragon. But it's also a satire of Corporate America, a heist film of sorts, and a expose on the moral conflicts of food production. Now to some that sounds like a recipe for disaster, but in the hands of Bong Joon Ho (One of the most exciting directors working today, a statement further cemented by the quality of Okja) it's one of the best films of 2017. Okja in all its brilliance, might be Bong Joon Ho's most accessible movie yet, but it's also probably one of the strangest things your likely to see all year. Here Joon-Ho further demonstrates his mastery of his filmmaking craft, effortlessly juggling tones and genres, composing scenes that brim with drama and excitement , and leaving audiences with another multi-layered commentary on capitalism. Where the film may loose some viewers is in its tonal juggling and in a particular character. Firstly the films tonal sifts are elliptical to say the least, transitioning between outdoor adventure scenes, to low key drama, to high octane madcap chases, to blistering satire, to emotionally grueling drama, and at one point between heart wrenching thought provoking drama to slapstick comedy within the same scene. Secondly Jake Gyllenhaal's performance, as an unstable zoologist/television personality with a sweet tooth for booze, (To put it mildly) is turned up to eleven in terms of emotions, mannerisms, and delivery. Your reaction to this character might depend upon your sensibilities. I've read several reviews that describe his character as grating and unintentionally annoying, but I personally found him to be alternately hilarious and pitiful. These factors might be a turnoff to some of you, but to those who are sick of the overly processed assembly line films that infest our modern multiplexes, Okja isn't so much a substitute so much as a revelation, that big budgeted auteur driven films are still plausible, and that films can entertain us while still conveying a nuanced message. I can't recommend Okja enough, see it, and even if you find yourself disappointed or baffled, at least consider that it's something different from the over processed soulless films that plague American Movie theaters at the moment.