Okja Review: 6 Ups & 3 Downs
3. It Goes To Dark Places Too
Though the trailer seems to mostly suggest that Okja is a sweet girl-and-her-pet tale that your kid nephew or niece might be OK watching, rest assured that this is not at all a movie for children.
This is a film with themes covering severe animal abuse, an insider's look at the more grotesque aspects of the meat trade, and even ends up chillingly paralleling Okja's struggle for freedom with that of Holocaust victims.
It's joltingly powerful and somehow doesn't feel at odds with the movie's outwardly comedic moments, but considering how Joon-ho managed to expertly meld light and dark in The Host in particular, perhaps it's not that surprising.
As wonderful as the movie is, the final act in particular will leave most viewers gripping their seats and perhaps even shedding a tear or two. It's wonderfully executed throughout.