Movie Review: Okja (NC16)
Director Bong Joon Ho had hoped that audiences would be able to catch this Neflix original movie - which premieres on June 28 - on the big screen, and it is easy to see why.
The first few scenes - which feature the idyllic South Korean countryside and introduces young heroine Mija (Ahn Seo Hyun) as well as her beloved pet "super-pig" Okja - are gorgeous and have been compared to Hayao Miyazaki's iconic My Neighbor Totoro.
But the comedy and social commentary gets darker with the appearances of campy villains played by Jake Gyllenhaal (a famous zoologist) and Tilda Swinton (who plays a dual role of twin sisters behind a conglomerate with evil designs on Okja).
It culminates in a harrowing, emotional finale that might make you feel guilty about eating meat for a while.
RATING: 4/5
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now