OKJA

South Korea, 2017, 120 minutes, Colour.
Ahn Seo-yun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Lily Collins, Shirley Henderson, Daniel Henshall, Devon Bostick, Giancarlo Esposito, Jack Gyllenhaal.
Directed by Bong Joon-ho.

Bong Joon-ho made an impression with a typical Korean crime drama, Memories of Murder. However, during the 2010s, he branched out quite imaginatively (blend of realism and surrealism) with the science fiction film The Host, with the futuristic parable, Snowpiercer (later to be a significant series for Netflix). In early 2020, he became quite world-famous with his film-parody-satire, Parasite, being successful at the Academy Awards, Best Foreign Language Film and capping everything, the Oscar for Best Film.

Okja is definitely a blend of real and surreal. In fact, the title of the film is the name of a super-pig, fostered in South Korea by a young girl, Mija (Ahn Sen-yun) and her family. A scout for an American company (Jake Gyllenhaal) wants to transport the pig to the United States, scouting for a company headed by Tilda Swinton (who plays twins). To try to prevent this, and Animal Liberation Front tries to stop the action in Korea and, when the girl and her pig arrive in the United States, deals done, a huge public parade to promote the industry, the Front intervenes and disrupts.

There is commercial ruthlessness. There are scenes and a slaughterhouse. The Animal Liberation Front is active again despite some of its own interior struggles. Okja, almost dead, is rescued and goes back so home with Mija. (And a post-credits sequence indicating the possibilities for a sequel, jailing of key ALF personnel, especially Jay (Paul Dano), and future activity and disruption.

1. Science fiction? Science fantasy? Real? Surreal?

2. The work of the director, his imagination, offbeat portraits of human nature?

3. The title, the focus on the super-pig? The Korean settings? The farm? Corporations? Cities? Transition to the United States? Corporations, farms, industrial plant? The musical score?

4. The credibility of the setting, South Korea, the farm, Mija, her age, her love for her pig, the support of the family, her character, her life? About to change?

5. The visit from the American representative, to take the pig to the United States, the forming of the gold pig as compensation? The transport of the pig from the farm?

6. Mija, the effect on her, her following the pig? The experience of the Animal Liberation Front, the aims, the personalities, Jay and Kay, motivations, pro-animals, Kay and his deception? The recording in the year, translation for Mija? The falling out between the two? Finding reconciliation?

7. The Mirando company, Nancy and Lucy, Lucy taking over, her appearance, manner, domination? Ambitions? Nancy's final assertion?

8. The super-pig in the United States? Reactions? Testing the flesh, commercialisation of the pig? Going to the abattoir?

9. Public relations, and the parade, the demonstration, the pig on display, the interruption of the parade, the expose?

10. The intervention of the AFL, the various personalities, helping Mija?

11. The intervention of the authorities? Ruthless?

12. The pig, the birth of the piglet, concealing it? And the returned to Korea?

13. The post-credits sequence? Prison, release, AFL plans?