Review of Okja (2017) by Jess_Hill — 30 Jun 2017

This is a film which truly embodies a quintessential leftist ideology wrapped up in a ham fisted storyline that beats you over the head with its agenda relentlessly; the messaging so painfully flogged that it constantly throws you out of the film with the sheer ludicrousness of what you're seeing and the manner in which it is delivered.

The tone oscillates wildly, the creature design is great but poorly rendered, it's too long, and for god's sake don't show this to children. There were some delightful moments in the first act, but the jarring script quickly shatters the illusion that this might be a whimsical cinematic journey.

I don't know who this is for, and it feels like a sadly lost opportunity as the reliance on one dimensional caricature and a complete lack of subtlety utterly undercut what could have been an interesting and unique film.

The phenomenal cast are done a disservice by the incongruence of the tone and message; Scooby-dooesque hijinks and childlike moments are interlaced with brutal cruelty and violence, but rather than providing a counterpoint or foil, this undermines what should have been an important and powerful message as the film becomes a poor parody rather than the commentary it seeks to be.

4.57/10.