Okja: From farm to table

If you’ve ever lived on a farm, then you understand the importance behind never getting attached to the livestock. They are raised for a purpose and that purpose is to provide. Okja ties that in with the traditional ideas behind providing for a large society and the love a young girl feels for her pet. Many aspects of the film have a seemingly political air and it also addresses the rougher side of animal production for human consumption. With no clue what I was in for, I sat myself down in a pizza onesie with Bandit and began the film.

                The opening scenes and credits are very high in energy and almost have a brainwashing vibe to them. The press conference sets the precedent for the rest of the movie and in a whirlwind of excitement you as the viewer is transported across the globe to Korea. The first scenes in the jungle brought about this sense of serenity and I couldn’t help but feel at peace with my decision to watch this movie. Much of the first half of the script features the movie only spoken in Korean. I tend to watch many of my movies with closed captioning on anyways, so this wasn’t a big deal for me, especially since they added the English subtitles, however it was an interesting choice on the half of the director. Our first glimpse of Okja is confusing. The indecisiveness as to what she actually is can be visually distracting, however the plot does a fair job of keeping you entertained and on your toes. While she is classified as a “super pig”, she has many physical attributes and mannerisms that reminded me remarkably of a hippo. Mija, her caretaker and best friend, views her less as an animal for a competition and even more as her pet as the movie progresses. As it continues on, it begins to take a darker turn. Around the time the A. L. F. comes into play, you begin to get an idea behind the message that the movie is trying to get across. Pursuing this idea down the rabbit hole gives you a glimpse into what is potentially a portrayal of the current food industry, only with fictional animals. The vulgar and violent scenes often want to make you look away yet you fear to miss another gruesome detail that showcases the horror of American slaughterhouses. While the mass production of animals for food is no new concept, the conditions in which it can be done are demonstrated in an abhorrent manner. In an effort to not spoil anything I shall not go into further detail. Just know that this film is not for the faint of heart.

                While intentionally depressing and heart-wrenching, Okja stands apart from films and documentaries in its portrayal of the more crude aspects beyond your initial thought in the production of food. The unconditional love Mija feels for Okja provides an easy way for the audience to connect to her. This movie makes more of a political statement as to our meat production as a country more than anything else. With an open mind and a prepared mental constitution, you can make it through this movie and perhaps think about the journey it takes for your meat to make it to your table.