Giant Pig Movie 'OKJA' Gives Us A Lot To Chew Over

Just in time for summer comes a film that seriously threatens the core component of barbeques, baseball games and block parties. To be blunt, “Okja” may force you to put down that hot dog.

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Director Bong Joon Ho’s uneven movie is about a girl, her giant, adorable pet pig and an evil corporation that wants to separate them - and also to separate our porcine heroine into bacon strips. There’s not a lot of nuance here: The bad guys are very bad and the heroes are very good. It makes the finger-wagging of “Avatar” seem demure.

But it’s not always a well-marbled ride. There’s an inconsistent tone, with horrific moments spliced with satire and detours into vaudeville and a few moments when it’s kidnapped into a heist movie. “Okja” also has too much Tilda Swinton, a curious Jake Gyllenhaal and some weird musical choices. But Bong must be congratulated for forcing us to see what’s for dinner, even if his message is as heavy-handed as a public service announcement for veganism.