A Thought Provoking Story About Corporate Greed
Netflix’s recent attempt at a feature film revolution has been met with mixed reactions from the Hollywood faithful. Some are excited for the new approach, while others feel Netflix can’t deliver on the quality of their past productions. Okja is one of the few films that seems to come back at Netflix with a fresh perspective, telling a story that is both thought-provoking and touching. Despite some flaws, Okja is an impressive effort that deserves to be seen by all who are interested in cinema.
Lucy Mirando addresses the sceptical press to announce a new Super pig trial. She tells them that her company, the Mirando Corporation, has developed a new pig that is more efficient and healthy than any other in the world. The Super pig will be distributed around the world and the best breeder will receive a lucrative sum of money.
After a noisy, bright 5 minute opening, the story changes pace to a dreamy, tranquil backdrop of an Asian jungle where Mija (Seo-Hyun Ahn) and her super pig Okja live together. The film then shifts back to the present day as we follow Mija and Okja on their journey to find new homes for them. ..
When Mija’s pig is taken away as the winning pig in the competition, Mija follows Okja’s kidnappers to try and save her pig from the powerful multi-national company. It’s worth noting at this point that the film switches between Korean (with English subtitles) and English throughout the film. While that won’t be an issue for most, those who don’t enjoy reading lots of subtitles will probably not enjoy this one. ..
Okja is an ambitious film with a lot of themes and ideas. Some were executed well, while others were not as successful. ..
The article discusses the pros and cons of globalisation, food stock, GMOs and other related topics. It highlights how these ideas are important to consider when looking at the future of the economy.
The powerful scenes of the factories toward the back half of the film are both shocking and thought-provoking. The film is intent on challenging how you view food, and despite the happy-go-lucky feel the trailer leads you to believe, this is a dark film that isn’t afraid to show some shocking and distressing material. ..
The film’s plot is convoluted and its logic faulty. On more than one occasion Mija is able to get around security measures that should be difficult or impossible to bypass. This leads to guards chasing her through winding corridors and locking doors behind her. It’s easy to overlook these moments when the film is full of other impressive feats, but they make up for a lack of cohesion in the story.
The global corporation characters, including Mirando and squeaky voiced Johnny Wilcox (Jake Gylenhaal), are one-dimensional satirical caricatures that jarringly contrast with the animals rights group and Mija, who have a little bit more dimension to their characters. I was going to criticise this heavily but on reflection, it feels more like a clever artistic choice to highlight the simple minds of the apathetic corporation that only care about greed and profits. We’ll let you be the judge of that! ..
The film Okja is a beautiful, thought-provoking picture that has some inconsistencies but strong themes. The story does have some problems, but overall it is a well-done piece of cinema.
Mija and Okja’s bond is what keeps the film ticking to its bittersweet conclusion. While it’s not an Oscar winner, Netflix struck gold with this movie, translating their talent from TV shows over to one of their best efforts for a feature film. ..
