Okja (4 Stars)

"Never mistranslate. Translations are sacred".

This is a South Korean film, with some of the dialogue in English. It's distributed exclusively by Netflix, so if you weren't lucky enough to see it on the big screen during its original release, it's too late now. Some Netflix films are released on Blu-ray, but not "Okja".

The Mirando corporation has created genetically modified giant pigs in order to solve world hunger and make a profit. They know that the public is opposed to genetically modified food, so they claim that the pigs are offsprings of a rare type of pig found in the wild. To win popularity for their pigs a lengthy promotional campaign is staged. 26 piglets are sent to farmers around the world, and after 10 years the most beautiful pigs will be selected for breeding.

The film is centred around Okja, a female pig raised by an old farmer in the mountains of Korea. He doesn't have to do much, because the pig has been adopted by his granddaughter Mija. For her Okja is more than a farmyard animal, she's a pet, even a friend.

After 10 years Okja is collected to be taken back to America. This is devastating for Mija. She attempts to prevent this happening, and she has unexpected allies. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) attacks the transport convoy and attempts to steal Okja.

A lot of people don't like CGI in films, but this is an example of CGI making the film what it is. The giant pig has been perfectly crafted by the film's special effects engineers, and it looks so sweet and lovable. Okja is the real star of the film, and Okja's co-star is Ahn Seo-hyun, who was 13 when the film was made. The big names in the film, Jake Gyllenhaal, Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano, only appear in minor roles.

It's worth pointing out that Jake Gyllenhaal plays a very untypical role for him, as the obnoxious television host Dr. Johnny Wilcox. We can't help but hate him whenever he appears on the screen.

Success Rate:  - 23.8