Don’t let the giant CGI pig at the center of Bong Joon Ho’s new film Okja deceive you. The latest film from the man who gave us Snowpiercer is not exactly a movie made with families in mind. It is, however, one of our most anticipated films of 2017.
Featuring a diverse cast of global stars, Okja follows a young woman named Mija who risks everything to save her beloved companion from the hands of an egomaniacal corporate CEO. Unlike similar films about friends pulled apart, this one features a giant pig that many believe could lead to huge profits for the food industry. Those who disagree face great adversity in trying to get their message heard, but with Mija at their side it appears anything is possible.
The official synopsis for Okja reads:
“For 10 idyllic years, young Mija (An Seo Hyun) has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja – a massive animal and an even bigger friend – at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when the family-owned multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where image obsessed and self-promoting CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) has big plans for Mija’s dearest friend.
With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission, but her already daunting journey quickly becomes more complicated when she crosses paths with disparate groups of capitalists, demonstrators, and consumers, each battling to control the fate of Okja…while all Mija wants to do is bring her friend home.”
Aside from the profanity and what looks to be an epic battle in the third act, there is a serious E.T. vibe to this movie. Much like that classic film, here we have a story of a child who risks everything to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to help a creature they do not fully understand simply because it is the right thing to do. If that doesn’t warm your heart, what will?
Okja will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival later this week. The film is scheduled to be released on Netflix worldwide June 28.
