This summer, Bong Joon-Ho‘s “Okja” comes to Netflix worldwide, but the consensus is that the filmmaker will bring his latest movie to Cannes first. We’ll find out soon enough, but the streaming service is giving us another peek the promising new film.
Featuring a terrific ensemble including Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Giancarlo Esposito, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins and newcomer An Seo Hyun, so far, we’ve known that plot is about a corporation that threatens the relationship between a young girl and a mysterious creature. But a longer plot synopsis reveals more shades to the story. Here it is:
READ MORE: Bong Joon-Ho Talks The International Setting & Influences Of ‘Okja’
For 10 idyllic years, young Mija (An Seo Hyun) has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja — a massive animal and an even bigger friend — at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when the family-owned multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where image obsessed and self-promoting CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) has big plans for Mija’s dearest friend.
With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission, but her already daunting journey quickly becomes more complicated when she crosses paths with disparate groups of capitalists, demonstrators and consumers, each battling to control the fate of Okja… while all Mija wants to do is bring her friend home.
Deftly blending genres, humor, poignancy and drama, Bong Joon Ho (“Snowpiercer,” “The Host“) begins with the gentlest of premises — the bond between man and animal — and ultimately creates a distinct and layered vision of the world that addresses the animal inside us all.
“Okja” hits Netflix on June 28th.
