“Okja” rebounded from technical glitches to score with audiences during its Cannes Film Festival press screening on Friday.
Reviews haven’t hit yet but the fantasy adventure was earning comparisons to “E.T.” and Roald Dahl on Twitter moments after the credits rolled on the film. Critics and media were reaching for adjectives like “visionary” and “endearing.” The film is directed by Bong Joon-ho, the visionary filmmaker behind “Memories of a Murder” and “The Host.” There were a few naysayers who said that the story of a girl trying to save her creature pal from a greedy corporation didn’t quite cohere. It is one of two Netflix movies premiering at this year’s festival.
The film was projected for more than six minutes in the wrong aspect ratio while audience members booed and stomped their feet until it was fixed. The negative reaction came after people burst into applause when the Netflix logo was shown. The attitude quickly switched to hissing when the audience realized the film was being shown in the wrong dimensions. The screening later resumed without any issues.
Right now, it sounds like “Okja” goes in the “win” column.
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So #OKJA is a fantastic mainstream movie. Smart, funny, wild, highly lovable, about a real issue, fantastic camera work, great cast.
— Julia Pühringer (@JuliaPuehringer) May 19, 2017
OKJA: like ET on crack. wild & wildly uneven, but always soulful. A+ cast, 1 legendary chase, everything you want AT the movies #Cannes2017
— david ehrlich (@davidehrlich) May 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/kylebuchanan/status/865491073837039616
OKJA is the girl-and-her-super-pig movie I always wanted. Ahn Seo-hyun a compelling action heroine, creature FX exquisite. #Cannes2017
— Rebecca Keegan (@ThatRebecca) May 19, 2017
Bong Joon-ho's Okja is a wonderful family action-adventure in the spirit of Roald Dahl, Melissa Mathison and Dodie Smith #Cannes2017
— Peter Bradshaw (@PeterBradshaw1) May 19, 2017
My heart bleeds for #Okja. Great film, perfect creature feature, funny, honest /w attitude. Exactly what cinema needs…oh wait. #Cannes17
— Beatrice Behn (@DansLeCinema) May 19, 2017
OKJA is great. A spirited, weird, poignant plea for compassion and principle. Its closing moments feel like a benediction. #Cannes2017
— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) May 19, 2017
Only Bong Joon Ho could make the story of a mutant pig and the girl who loved her both endearing & political. #Cannes2017
— erickohn (@erickohn) May 19, 2017
Okja vintage Bong Joon-ho on (GMO) steroids–genre screwball comedy & political thinkpiece, hybrid offspring of Babe/1984/Fast Food Nation
— Steven Zeitchik (@zeitchikWaPo) May 19, 2017
