Okja (2017)

28 February 2020

I've been liking Bong Joon Ho's films a lot recently - Snowpiercer, Parasite, and now also Okja: the story of a genetically modified pig and the child that raised it. With a cast of both American and South Korean actors, it also blends genres (combining slaughterhouse horror with bureaucratic comedy) to create an unique and mesmerizing story.

I think the reason the film excels is Mija (Seo-hyun Ahn) and her resolve to be reunited with her super-pig companion, in spite of the situation around her. That clarity and innocence lets the rest of the story carry on through the less belivable parts, and keeps you entertained even when it gets a little too dark.

The CG for Okja is really quite stunning and seamless, and it's great when you can blur where the special effects exist versus live action scenes. Overall it's a really well done film, in spite of its faults. I don't think it'll have the staying power of his other films if I rewatch it: the offbeat humor keeps the story interesting, but that may not help it on replays, and the story is so simple that it may feel too long with a second viewing. 9/10