Set in a futuristic world in the span of nearly 5 years, the film is about a man who joins a space expedition towards a snowy planet that is to be colonized as he signs for a job that would kill him multiple times where his 17th variation makes a discovery about the planet they are colonizing. It is a film that does not play into a certain genre as it blends all sorts of genres from science fiction, satire, suspense, drama, and action as it explores a man who takes a job to escape from loan sharks as the ship is ruled by a politician who plans to rule the colony as he would also bring in a cloning device on his ship although the cloning device is deemed illegal on Earth. Bong Joon-Ho’s screenplay has a lot of layers in its narrative as it is largely told from the perspective of its titular character (Robert Pattinson) as he is a man that has endured a lot of bad luck from the death of his mother as a child as he blames himself for what happened and the trouble his childhood friend Timo (Steven Yeun) has put him in through involving loan sharks.
In taking on the job as an expendable, Mickey would endure a series of odd jobs in which he would be killed or become a lab rat for diseases and such as he would be cloned through a printing machine of sorts though it is a method that is illegal on Earth. The expedition is run by the politician Kenneth Marshall (Mark Ruffalo) and his wife Ylfa (Toni Collette) in the hopes that he can bring hope to humanity on a new planet although he is revealed to be an idiotic narcissist while Ylfa is the smarter of the two but is also arrogant and obsessed with bad gourmet cooking. Mickey would find friends during his journey including a girlfriend in the security officer Nasha (Naomi Ackie) but becomes annoyed with people asking him what it is like to die. Even as they land on the planet where Mickey makes a discovery about its inhabitants after getting injured on the job and left for dead by Timo. Upon his return, Mickey, in his 17th variation, learns about something else that is happening that is considered forbidden as it explains why Earth is not fond of the idea of cloning. All of this leads to revelations about what Marshall wants to do and the trouble he is creating on the planet he wants to colonize.
Bong’s direction is grand in not just its unique setting and blend of genres but also in its approach to satire. Shot at the Leavesden Studio in Britain, Bong’s creates a world that is chaotic where much of the action takes place inside a spaceship. The usage of close-ups and medium shots in these cramped and claustrophobic rooms that Mickey, Nasha, and others live in do play into this idea of class as the Marshalls live in a spacious and lavish room with the finest food and decors that represents this disconnect that the Marshalls have with everyone else in the ship. Bong also uses wide shots to get a look into the Marshalls’ room as well as the dining hall and scenes on the snowy planet known as Niflheim as it is a key element in the film’s second half as well as the first scene of the film where Mickey 17 is left on a ravine injured where Timo leaves him for dead. It is also the moment where Mickey would discover the original inhabitants of these creatures that look like bugs but something different in their interiors as they were designed by Bong and creature designer Jang Hee-chul.
Bong’s direction also play into this sense of absurdity in the many ways Mickey would die as well as the atmosphere of the spaceship as it has an offbeat presentation of how bureaucracy works as there are also odd things that happen in the film. Even as there is a guy in a pigeon suit (Tim Key) who would come in to be a reporter as a mascot for Marshall. The film does take a serious tone in its third function as it relates to the inhabitants of Niflheim and what Marshall wants to do although Mickey is in a far more complicated situation as it relates to why Earth banned cloning and re-printing humans. Even as he becomes a bigger liability where it leads to Marshall waging war with the inhabitants of Niflheim although they have no issues with humanity. Still, Bong plays into the many fallacies of politics as well as what happened when people put their faith in someone who is an imbecile forcing a regular person to do what he can to save humanity from themselves. Overall, Bong crafts a witty and riveting film about a man who dies constantly on the job during a four-year expedition to colonize a planet for an imbecilic politician.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its stylish usage of lighting for the interior scenes inside the spaceship with low-key lighting for the rooms that Mickey and others live in to the artificial look of the Marshalls’ suite. Editor Yang Jin-mo does excellent work with the editing with its usage of rhythmic cuts and jump-cuts to play into the action and suspense along with some stylish cuts for some of the humor. Production designer Fiona Crombie, with set decorator Alice Felton plus supervising art director Jason Knox-Johnston and senior art director Darren Tubby, does amazing work with the look of the interiors of the spaceship including the rooms, dining hall, lab, and garage as well as the caves at Niflheim. Costume designer Catherine George does fantastic work with the costumes from the ordinary jumpsuits many of the people at the spaceship wear to the posher clothing that the Marshalls wear.
Hair & makeup artist Anita Burger does terrific work with some of the makeup that Kenneth Marshall has in his TV appearances including a somewhat-heightened tan on his face. Visual effects supervisors Dan Glass, Arudra Jaykar, and Kelvin McIlwain do incredible work in the look of the planet and the exterior of the spaceship as well as the movement of the body parts from the creatures at Niflheim. Sound designer Eilam Hoffman and sound editor Choi Tae-young do superb work with the sound in the way the creatures sound as well as layers of sound effects for scenes inside the ship as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Jung Jae-il is great in its piano orchestra presentation with elements of bouncy percussions and string arrangements that play into the film’s offbeat tone while its music soundtrack features pieces from Nino Rota, Elliot Smith, Georg Friedrich Handel, and a hilarious original from Jung and Sharon Sung Jae Choi that the Marshalls sing that is full-on camp.
The casting by Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Milo James as a young Mickey, Ian Hanmore as a loan shark Timo and Mickey owes money to, Ellen Robertson as Kai’s girlfriend Jennifer, Tim Key as the man in a pigeon suit, Thomas Turgoose as a security officer who likes to carry a bazooka, Angus Irmie as a security officer known as Shrimp Eyes, Stephen Park as the head security officer Zeke who becomes concerned with what the Marshalls are doing and other activities involving drugs, Holliday Grainger as a Marshall representative whom Mickey meets early in the film about becoming an expendable, Cameron Britton as the science team leader Arkady who is a stooge for Marshall, Patsy Ferran as the scientist Dorothy who cares about Mickey’s well-being, Anna Mouglalis as the voice of the head creeper creature from Niflheim, and Edward Davis as a political figure who was part of the reprinting program who went too far in his studies as he is seen in a flashback.
Daniel Henshall is terrific as Marshall’s personal assistant Preston as this smarmy man who is willing to goad his boss into anything and film it to boost his boss’s ego. Anamaria Vartolomei is fantastic as the security officer Kai Katz as a woman who is one of Mickey’s friends as she would cope with events that shaped her while also making a discovery that makes her uneasy. Steven Yeun is excellent as Timo as a childhood friend of Mickey who would constantly put him in trouble as he would get a job as a pilot for the ship where he constantly finds a way to advance his position as well as taking part in illegal activities involving drugs. Naomi Ackie is brilliant as Nasha as a security agent who becomes Mickey’s girlfriend as she deals with his own issues while also becoming aware of Marshall’s idiocy where there is a great moment where she calls him out in front of his face into how stupid he is.
Toni Collette is incredible as Ylfa Marshall as Kenneth’s wife who is this woman that wants to create gourmet cooking that she can make money of as well as crave power where Collette has an element of camp that adds to her performance as she is monstrously hilarious. Mark Ruffalo is amazing as Kenneth Marshall, as this political figure who wants to colonize a planet in the belief that he will save humanity except for the fact that he is a narcissistic imbecile who craves attention while Ruffalo speaks in a way that is over-the-top as it adds a level of hilarity to his performance. Finally, there’s Robert Pattinson in a tremendous performance as Mickey Barnes and the many variations he would take including Mickey 17 as this ordinary man who takes the job where he makes himself expendable where he would be cloned and re-printed as a lab rat while doing odd jobs that are considered deadly. Pattinson’s performance is also full of joy in how shy he is as he speaks in an odd way while he would speak more menacingly as another variant as it is one of Pattinson’s finest performances of his career.
Mickey 17 is a spectacular film by Bong Joon-ho that features a phenomenal leading performance from Robert Pattinson. Along with its ensemble cast, grimy visuals, its satirical approach to social standings and political idealism, and a fun music score. The film is an engaging and witty genre-bending film that explores a man who dies constantly for someone’s own idea of power only to become a rebel and realize that man’s ignorance and stupidity over everything. In the end, Mickey 17 is a sensational film by Bong Joon-ho.
Bong Joon-ho Films: Barking Dogs Never Bite - Memories of Murder - The Host (2006 film) - Tokyo!-Shaking Tokyo - Mother (2009) - Snowpiercer - Okja - Parasite - The Auteurs #44: Bong Joon-ho
© thevoid99 2025
The film is about a deliveryman from a rural small town in South Korea where he reconnects with a childhood neighbor as she asks him to watch a cat where she takes a trip to Africa where she meets a rich young man who raises some suspicion into his secret activities. It is a film with a unique premise as it is more about a man who lives at rural area with a farm that is nearly neglected while he works delivering things where he meets a young woman who used to be his neighbor as they rekindle their friendship. The film’s screenplay by Lee Chang-dong and Oh Jung-mi has its main protagonist in Lee Jong-su (Yoo Ah-In) who lives in a rural farmland area near Paju near the North-South Korean border where he meets Shin Hae-mi (Jeon Jong-seo) who is working as a dancer for a raffle where Jong-su wins a watch that is for girls. The two reacquaint themselves with Hae-mi set to go on a trip to Africa as Jong-su falls for her where he takes care of her cat even though he never sees the cat.
When Jong-su picks up Hae-mi from the airport, she is joined by a man named Ben (Steven Yeun) who is rich and later takes them to clubs, posh restaurants, and such where Jong-su is confused by Ben and his friendly demeanor. Even as it does play into this social difference as Jong-su living near a farm and Hae-mi living in a tiny apartment while Ben lives in a posh apartment. There is also a subplot in which Jong-su is dealing with the fact that his father (Choi Seung-ho) is in trial over an assault case as Jong-su is going through money problems with a failing farm as it is a big difference to the fact that Ben has it all yet confesses to Jong-su that he burns greenhouses in rural areas that only raises more suspicion for Jong-su who would notice something isn’t right as it relates to Ben.
Chang-dong’s direction is definitely mesmerizing in terms of its approach to long shots as well as its emphasis on simplicity. Shot largely on location in areas in Paju near the border between North and South Korea as the city is based on the latter. The film does play into this world where there is this social disparity of sorts in where both Jong-su and Hae-mi live in as the first shot of the film is a near two-minute tracking shot of Jong-su carrying some things for a store as he walks into the store but the camera only stops at the entrance to introduce Hae-mi who is dancing to some music with another girl holding a microphone. It’s among some of the intricate shooting that Chang-dong would create as he also uses some unique wide and medium shots of the city but also the rural farm area that Jong-su lives in that features loudspeaker audio from afar from North Korea spouting propaganda. Chang-dong does play into this reality that Hae-mi and Jong-su are definitely a part of as they struggle to make money with the latter also dealing with his father going to jail as he tries to get others in his community to sign a petition in the hope he gets a lighter sentence.
Chang-dong does use some close-ups for a few intimate moments including a sex scene in the first act between Hae-mi and Jong-su while the conversation at Jong-su’s home with him and Ben is a key moment that leads to the film’s second act as it also include a flashback of a young Jong-su watching a greenhouse burst into flames. The film then shifts in tone but in a slow manner as it play into Jong-su trying to figure out who Ben is but also about a greenhouse nearby that was supposedly burned. Chang-dong’s direction also feature these intricate scenes of Jong-su following Ben’s car as it also play into this sharp social contrast where Ben’s car is something a rich person would buy while Jong-su is driving a white truck that has been through a lot of years. Its third act isn’t just about Ben’s own lifestyle and how he’s able to have this charmed life but also this social disparity that allows him to do whatever he wants with Jong-su being used. Overall, Chang-dong crafts a provocative and rapturous film about a deliveryman and a young woman who befriend a charming rich man unaware of his dark secrets.
Cinematographer Hong Kyung-po does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its naturalistic approach to some of the exterior scenes set in the morning and evening as well as an interior scene at Hae-mi’s apartment where the sunlight is a key factor. Editors Kim Hyeon and Kim Da-won do excellent work with the editing as it does have bits of style in some of the transitional fade-outs as well as some rhythmic cuts that help play into the suspense. Production designer Shin Jum-hee does amazing work with the look of Hae-mi’s apartment as well as the look of Ben’s posh apartment and the farm where Jong-su lives in. Costume designer Lee Choong-yeon does fantastic work with the costumes from the more casual look of both Jong-su and Hae-mi to the more posh-like clothes that Ben wears.
Special effects supervisor Ryoo Young-il and visual effects supervisor Suk Joong Kim do terrific work with some of the film’s visual effects that mainly play into a few scenes involving fire. Sound designer Lee Seung-cheol does superb work with the sound in the way music is presented at a speaker or at a club as well as the sound of the loudspeaker heard from the North Korean border. The film’s music by Lee Sung-hyun aka Mowg is incredible for its brooding music score that features elements of eerie percussions, warbling bass, and other intriguing instrumentation that help play into the suspense and drama while its soundtrack feature some K-pop music from Sistar, Nana D., and Krein as well as a piece of music for a major moment from Miles Davis.
The film’s wonderful ensemble cast feature some notable small roles from Lee Bong-ryun as Hae-mi’s sister whom Jong-su meets late in the film, Ban Hye-ra as Jong-su’s estranged mother whom he sees late in the film about his father, Min Boi-gi as a judge at Jong-su’s father case, Moon Sung-keun as the lawyer representing Jong-su’s father, Choi Seung-ho as Jong-su’s father, and Kim Soo-Kyung as a young woman who is with Ben in the film’s third act. Jeon Jong-seo is incredible as Shin Hae-mi as a young woman who works as a dancer for a department store who is an old neighbor of Jong-su as she is hoping to live a fruitful life despite her lack of direction as she is also someone that likes to dance.
Steven Yeun is phenomenal as Ben as this young rich man who has it all but also has a hobby that involves burning abandoned greenhouses as he is a man of charm but also someone that carries a lot of intrigue in his home and how he uses his wealth. Finally, Yoo Ah-in in a sensational performance as Lee Jong-su as this deliveryman who lives in a dilapidated farm with a young calf who reacquaints himself with a neighbor he hadn’t seen since childhood as he falls for her and then becomes suspicious of her new friend while dealing with things around him that only raises his concerns for Hae-mi.
Beoning is an outstanding film from Lee Chang-dong that features a trio of great performances from Yoo Ah-in, Steven Yeun, and Jeon Jong-seo. Along with its gorgeous visuals, commentary on social disparity and influence, entrancing sound work, and a haunting music score by Mowg. The film is definitely a suspense-drama that doesn’t play by the rules while also providing some unique commentary on how people can use people with someone being aware that they’re being used. In the end, Beoning is a magnificent film from Lee Chang-dong.
Lee Chang-dong Films: (Green Fish) – (Peppermint Candy) – (Oasis (2002 film)) – Secret Sunshine - Poetry (2010 film)
© thevoid99 2022
The film revolves around the mysterious death of a ranch owner after a nickel fell down onto his eye as his two adult children deal with not just what happened but also a mysterious object in the sky that is wreaking havoc on their small town near Los Angeles. It is a film that play into these two siblings who deal with what happened to their father but also disappearances around them including a few of their horses. Jordan Peele’s screenplay is largely straightforward though it opens with a quote from the Bible in Nahum 3:6 as it relates to exploitation as the first scene shown revolves around a monkey named Gordy (Terry Notary) who wreaked havoc on a soundstage during a TV show taping as it then cuts to the present where Otis Haywood Sr. (Keith David) is tending to his horse ranch as it is one of the few black-owned ranches that works with Hollywood as Haywood trains horses alongside his son Otis Jr. aka OJ (Daniel Kaluuya).
After Otis Sr.’s death, OJ is struggling to keep the family business afloat with his sister Emerald “Em” Haywood (Keke Palmer) who is more interested in selling it altogether as she is more of a free-spirit while OJ is more serious. Even as he had sold horses to a former child star/western theme-park owner Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun) to keep his ranch afloat where the behavior of a few of their horses and their eventual disappearance prompt the siblings to buy some security tech as they get help from a tech store employee in Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) who would discover some things that both OJ and Em are suspecting. Even when Jupe would have an encounter during one of his shows that became the catalyst for OJ, Em, and Angel to take action as they sought the help of the renowned yet eccentric cinematographer Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott) who is resistant at first until he heard about an incident as he wants to capture footage of this mysterious alien object that is causing a lot of trouble.
Peele’s direction is definitely vast in terms of not just its imagery and usage of 65mm film stock for IMAX but also in creating a world that is this strange mix of the western, horror, and suspense with bits of humor. Shot on location in Agua Dulce near Los Angeles, the film does play into this air of intrigue as it has chapter breaks named after some of the horses that the Haywoods own as well as the monkey Gordy and the eventual name they give to this mysterious alien spaceship. The usage of wide and medium shots do play into the setting of the location as well as in some unique tracking shots that Peele create to help play into the sense of wonderment and horror. Notably as Peele doesn’t show the object in full at first but rather through wide shots for brief seconds as it’s more about what is happening on the ground where he would use close-ups to get a reaction from OJ and Em at different points in the film. The scenes that relate to the young Jupe and his encounter with this chimpanzee named Gordy for a TV show alludes to the film’s opening text and what happened during a film shoot where one of Haywood’s horses got agitated all because of a sound.
Even during the second act where Jupe is holding a show yet also has an exhibit about the incident which he pays tourists a lot of money to see this exhibit. His show is a key moment as it play into exactly what this UFO really is as it is far more sinister in the way it treats everyone with OJ, Em, and Angel also getting a closer look at this mysterious thing as it would arrive to drain out whatever electrical power it encounters. Its third act that involves Holst do play into the idea of how to trap this monster as it doesn’t just play into using technology and horses as bait but also to figure out what is it they’re dealing with. Its climax is grand and intense in terms of the stakes but also what a few characters would do to get a shot of this mysterious creature with the resources they have. Overall, Peele crafts an exhilarating and mesmerizing film about two ranch-owning siblings trying to uncover a mysterious creature not of planet Earth.
Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema does phenomenal work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on some low-key natural lighting for some of the exterior scenes at night as well as its naturalistic look for the daytime scenes while using some lights for some of the interior scenes. Editor Nicholas Monsour does excellent work with the editing as it does have some style in a few montages and some jump-cuts to play into the suspense and horror while also being straightforward to play into the reaction as well as in the long shots. Production designer Ruth de Jong, with set decorator Gene Serdena and art director Samantha Englender, does amazing work with the look of the home and ranch that the Haywoods own as well as Jupe’s own western theme park with all of its attractions. Costume designer Alex Bovaird does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largely straightforward with the exception of the cowboy costumes that Jupe and his wife wears for their show.
Makeup designer Shutchai Tym Buacharern and prosthetics designer Vincent Van Dyke do terrific work with the look of a character that is a guest of Jupe at his show who would also witness this strange phenomenon. Visual effects supervisor Guillaume Rocheron does brilliant work with some of the visual effects such as the motion-capture work of the chimpanzee Gordy as well as the look of the alien creature that is designed by John O. Dabiri as it has this unique look as well as what it looked like from the inside. Sound designer Johnnie Burn does superb work with the sound as he creates unique sound effects and some of the way music sounds and how it would slow down whenever the power goes down as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Michael Abels is incredible for its rich orchestral score that has elements of bombast but also themes that play up to the suspense and horror while music supervisor Krishna Bissessar creates a soundtrack that largely feature music that is played on location including some hip-hop, pop, and R&B that include pieces from Corey Hart, Dionne Warwick, the Lost Generation, and a strange acapella rendition of The Purple People Eater by Michael Wincott.
The casting by Carmen Cuba is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Oz Perkins as a commercial director, Eddie Jemison as an assistant director, Jacob Kim as a young Jupe, Andrew Patrick Ralston and Jennifer Lafleur as a couple of young Jupe’s costars, Sophia Coto as the young Jupe’s teenage costar, Devon Graye as a TMZ reporter wearing a weird helmet who appears late in the film, Donna Mills as an actress for the commercial, the trio of Lincoln Lambert, Pierce Kang, and Roman Gross as Jupe and Amber’s kids, Barbie Ferriera as Angel’s co-worker, and Terry Notary in a terrific performance via motion-capture as the chimpanzee Gordy who goes nuts during a taping of his show. Wrenn Schmidt is fantastic as Jupe’s wife Amber who works with him for his shows as well as knowing that he’s doing what he can to make money out of his own trauma. Keith David is excellent as Otis Haywood Sr. as the father of OJ and Em who runs a horse ranch that trains horses for movies and TV shows as he is seen prominently in flashbacks as he is also the catalyst for what OJ and Em have to deal with after his sudden death.
Michael Wincott is brilliant as the renowned cinematographer Antlers Horst as an eccentric filmmaker who is reluctant to help OJ, Em, and Angel out following a commercial shoot that OJ and Em was involved in but joins in after an incident involving the alien creature where he is aware of what is at stake but also wants to capture something that no other filmmaker has done. Brandon Perea is amazing as Angel Torres as a tech worker for Fry’s Electronics who helps install cameras at the Haywood home where he makes a discovery into what has been captured as he also helps out OJ and Em in their exploits while is also a resourceful individual. Steven Yeun is incredible as Ricky “Jupe” Park as a former child star who owns and runs a western theme park, with an exhibit devoted to his trauma, as he is trying to help the Haywoods financially while he would create a show as it relates to this alien phenomenon unaware of what it wants.
Finally, there’s the duo of Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as the siblings OJ and Em Haywood. Palmer’s performance is the more exuberant of the two as a woman who harbors some resentment towards her late father for not allowing her to train her own horse as a kid where she would go into the world of hustling and such to get by while coming up with unconventional ideas to trap the alien. Kaluuya’s performance is more reserved as this man who loves tending to the family ranch while was the one who had to drive his father to the hospital during his final moments as he deals with grief but also wanting to avenge his father. Kaluuya and Palmer have unique chemistry in the way they act out as siblings as they have opposite personalities yet are strong when they work together and get shit done as it relates to this being that is not of planet Earth.
Nope is a tremendous film from Jordan Peele that features great leading performances from Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. Along with its supporting cast, ravishing visuals, eerie sound work, a haunting music score, and its themes of exploitation. The film is definitely an unconventional yet riveting horror-suspense film that isn’t afraid to take on something big while also grounding it with a story of two siblings dealing with loss and wanting to avenge their father. In the end, Nope is a spectacular film from Jordan Peele.
Jordan Peele Films: Get Out - Us (2019 film)
© thevoid99 2022
(Played in Competition for the Palme d’Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival)
The film revolves around an environmentalist who becomes the new CEO of a beef manufacturing company as she announces the breeding of a new super-pig where 26 specimens are sent to various places all over the world and to see what would be the outcome of those pigs in 10 years in the hope to end world hunger. Yet, the film is more about the bond between a young girl and a pig living in the mountains in South Korea as the pig Okja is discovered by this corporation hoping to use it for a special presentation and then kill it for profit. It is a film that explores not just animal rights but also a corporate CEO wanting to do something right despite the fact that she’s doing the wrong thing in covering up lies with the aid of a zoologist/TV show host who has become emotionally and mentally unstable. Add a group of animal activists and other corporate interests as this young girl is pulled in different directions over her beloved Okja.
The film’s screenplay by Bong Joon-ho and Jon Ronson explore the many complexities of the cattle industry and its war with animal rights activists with this pig in the middle and a young girl in Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun) just trying to save it and bring it back home. Still, the characters that Joon-Ho and Ronson create aren’t typical of what is expected as the CEO of the Mirando corporation in Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) is trying to clean up the company’s image and to make it do good despite the fact that she’s covering up lies and remove the troubled legacy that her father and twin sister Nancy have created. The corporate face of the company in zoologist/TV host in Dr. Johnny Wilcox (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a wacky eccentric who has become troubled as well as guilt-ridden for the role he’s playing when Mirando makes some drastic decisions. The animal rights activist group known as ALF lead by Jay (Paul Dano) is trying to maintain some dignity in helping Mija but also doesn’t want to lie to her even though one of his fellow activist in K (Steven Yeun) lies in order to get the mission to save Okja when the pig is sent to New York City for this presentation with Mija also being an unwilling participant from the Mirando corporation.
Joon-ho’s direction is quite grand in the way he presents this world of corporate interests and their need to exploit an animal for profit as it is set in New York City and nearby areas as well as Seoul, South Korea and mountains near the city though much of the film is shot in parts of Seoul and Vancouver. The film opens with a scene in a factory where Lucy Mirando is trying to get people to see that her family’s past is going to be removed for a new future as it is presented in grand fashion with wide and medium shots. Still, Joon-ho maintains a simplicity in the scenes set in the mountains with its small ponds, waterfalls, and forests that Mija and Okja like to play in as it is this world of peace while they live with Mija’s grandfather in this simple home though they have access to TV and internet. When Okja is given to the corporation with Mija’s grandfather given a big payout for raising the super-pig, Joon-ho showcases Mija’s determination to retrieve Okja in Seoul as it has these unique tracking shots in some elaborate chase scenes inside a building, an underground mall next to a subway, and in a highway are among these moments where Joon-ho infuses action, suspense, and humor.
With the character of Okja being a major sense of importance to the film thanks in part to work of one of the film’s visual effects supervisors in Erik de Boer, who did the character design, where the actors not only get to interact with this creature but also play into the stakes of the film. Notably where Joon-ho brings the character to New York City as there’s a chilling scene with Okja and Dr. Wilcox at a lab that is disturbing with ALF watching in another location as it play into Dr. Wilcox’s guilt in the corporate role he plays but also in how disturbed he is in doing his job. There is also this sense of disconnect that Joon-ho showcases as it relates to Lucy Mirando about how she approaches business and how her sister Nancy did thinks as the latter is all about money and getting shit done while the former is about image. The sense of humanity also comes into play into its third act with Okja and Mija in the middle as it play into Lucy’s own desire for hope despite the lies she’s hidden yet is followed by a much darker reality that is closer to Nancy’s vision. Yet, there is something hopeful through Mija’s own simple actions but also her own understand about how the world works. Overall, Joon-ho crafts a witty yet heartfelt film about a farm girl trying to save her super-pig from a corporation that wants to kill it for profit.
Cinematographer Darius Khondji does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of naturalistic lighting and lush colors for the scenes in the mountain with low-key lights for the scenes at night while aiming for something a little bit more stylish for the scenes set in New York City in terms of its lighting including the scenes at the factory at night. Editor Yang Jin-mo does excellent work with the editing as it does have some unique fast-cuts for some of the chase and action scenes while also being straightforward in its approach to drama and suspense. Production designers Ha-jun Lee and Kevin Thompson, with art directors Jung-yoon Bae, Deborah Jensen, and Gwendolyn Margetson plus set decorators Susan Bode, Won-Woo Cho, Louise Roper, Yeonghee Seo, and Suk-ki Song, do amazing work with the look of the places in New York City including the Mirando logo and the factory where the super-pigs are forced to stay in the third act as well as the little home Mija and her grandfather live in. Costume designers Se-yeon Choi and Catherine George do fantastic work with the stylish clothes that Lucy Mirando wears as well as the wacky clothing of Dr. Wilcox, the guerilla-inspired gear of ALF, and the simplistic look of Mija.
Hair/makeup designers Hyunkyu Hwang and Sharon Martin do nice work with the look of Lucy Mirando in her quirky presentation from the braces on her teeth in the first scene to her hairstyle that is different from the look of her sister. Special effects supervisor Kyung-soo Park, along with visual effects supervisors Erik de Boer, Angela Ji, Jun Hyoung Kim, and Jeon Hyoung Lee, do terrific work with not just the design of Okja but also some set-dressing for some scenes in the film as well as the presentation of the chase sequence. Sound editor Tae-young Choi and sound designer Dave Whitehead do superb work with the sound in the way Okja sounds, with voice work from Lee Jeong-eun, as well as how certain objects sound including the cattle prod. The film’s music by Jaeil Jung is incredible for its unique mixture of flamenco, classical, and electronic pieces as it adds to the suspense and drama while music supervisor Jemma Burns cultivates a fun soundtrack that features music from the Isley Brothers, John Denver, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Osvaldo Pugliese.
The casting by Jenny Jue is phenomenal as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Lee Jeong-eun as the voice of Okja and a woman in a wheelchair, Lee Bong-ryun as a Mirando receptionist at the Seoul office building, Choi Woo-shik as an indifferent Mirando driver in Seoul, Yoon Je-moon as a Mirando representative who checks on Okja’s health, Byun Hee-bong as Mija’s well-meaning grandfather who is reluctant to give Okja away, Devon Bostick and Daniel Henshall as two activists for ALF in their respective names in Silver and Blond, and Shirley Henderson in a funny performance as Lucy’s assistant Jennifer who oversees some of the publicity detail involving Mija and Lucy for the big event. Giancarlo Esposito is superb as a Mirando executive in Frank Dawson who keeps an eye on Lucy for Nancy while trying to understand what she’s trying to do as well as see if she can succeed. Steven Yeun and Lily Collins are fantastic in their respective roles as ALF activists K and Red with the former being a tech genius who is also Korean as he helps translate for Mija while the latter is a weapon experts of sorts though she has no intentions in harming anyone while also having some funny things to say.
Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent as the wacky Dr. Johnny Wilcox as a zoologist/TV host who is the face of Mirando as someone who speaks in a somewhat high-pitched voice as he is also disturbed in his love for animals to the point that he becomes consumed with guilt and troubling behavior. Paul Dano is brilliant as Jay as a leader of ALF who is trying to do things the right way and help Mija while not wanting to make her uncomfortable as he’s a well-meaning activist that is aware of the compromises that he has to make. Tilda Swinton is amazing in a dual role as twin sisters Lucy and Nancy Mirando as she provides a lot of quirks and upbeat energy into the former as someone trying to reinvent the company’s image while the latter is only seen briefly as someone that is more of a pessimist and a better understanding of business. Finally, there’s Ahn Seo-hyun in an incredible performance as Mija as a young farm girl who cares for this massive super-pig as she deals with Mirando’s intentions for the pig as she does what she can to save him as it is this understated and somber performance from Seo-hyun who provides a lot of the heart in the film.
Okja is a phenomenal film from Bong Joon-ho. Featuring an incredible ensemble cast, themes of activism and animal rights, dazzling visuals, a sumptuous music score, and mixture of genres. The film is definitely a witty and compelling film that explores a young girl trying to retrieve her pet and her understanding about a world that is just trying to clean itself up despite their dirty methods. In the end, Okja is a sensational film from Bong Joon-ho.
Bong Joon-ho Films: Barking Dogs Never Bite - Memories of Murder - The Host (2006 film) - Tokyo!-Shaking Tokyo - Mother (2009 film) - Snowpiercer - Parasite - Mickey 17 - The Auteurs #44: Bong Joon-ho
© thevoid99 2021
Written, edited, and directed by Mike Cahill, I Origins is the story of a graduate student whose study towards the evolution of the human eye has him meeting a young woman who would lead him into a path of discovery as it relates to his research with the aid of his lab partner. The film is a sci-fi drama that explores not just evolution but also humanity in the eyes of a man trying to understand questions he is daring to ask. Starring Michael Pitt, Brit Marling, Astrid Berges-Frisbey, Steven Yeun, and Archie Panjabi. I Origins is a rapturous and fascinating film from Mike Cahill.
The film revolves around a graduate student whose research into the evolution of the human eye would increase after a meeting with a mysterious young woman at a party where he would meet her again and later fall for her. It’s a film that isn’t just about obsession but also a man trying to see if there is any scientific explanation into the evolution of the human eye where he also want to disprove the ideas of faith and spirituality but not in a mean way. In the course of the journey that Dr. Ian Gray (Michael Pitt) would take, he wouldn’t just fall in love with this young woman named Sofi (Astrid Berges-Frisbey) but also be challenged by her in the ideas of spirituality. Yet, when his lab partner Karen (Brit Marling) makes a discovery that would prove his theory. Things would change as his time with Sofi would later haunt him for much of the film’s second half as he would go into a bigger journey.
Mike Cahill’s script has a unique structure as it play into Dr. Gray’s journey as the first half is about his time as a graduate student and his brief time with Sofi while the second half takes place seven years later where Dr. Gray has married Karen and would have a child. Yet, the program and ideas based on their research of the eye would lead to new questions as it related to not just images of what their baby would see but also into many bigger questions as it relates to matching eye patterns. It would lead to events in the third act where it isn’t just about Dr. Gray dealing with aspects of his past but also raise a lot of questions about if there is some kind of rational explanation as well as maybe there are things that can’t simply be answered.
Cahill’s direction is fascinating for not just the way he explores a man’s journey into his work as a scientist but also in the human aspects where he tries to make sense of the things he encounters. Shot on largely on location in New York City as well as India and bits of Boise, Idaho as it does have this sense of a large world as it relates to Dr. Gray’s research. While there are some wide shots in the film, Cahill maintains an intimacy as it relates to the drama where he uses some medium shots but also a lot of close-ups including extreme close-ups on the eyes. Cahill’s usage of hand-held shots and close-ups says a lot about what Dr. Gray is searching for as well as some very odd moments as it relates to the research and Karen would encounter. Also serving as the film’s editor, Cahill would create something that is straightforward with some montages as it play into Dr. Gray’s own thoughts and memories along with his own personal journey into his research which would take him to India in the film’s third act. Overall, Cahill creates a compelling yet mesmerizing film about a man’s research into the evolution of the human eye.
Cinematographer Markus Forderer does excellent work with the cinematography as it has some lovely lighting and interior shading for scenes set in the day and night in some scenes along with some of the low-key lighting for some of the daytime exterior scenes. Production designer Tania Bijlani, with set decorator Grace Yun and art director Alan Lampert, does fantastic work with the look of the lab as well as the apartment that Sofi lived in as well as the home that Dr. Gray and Karen would live in. Costume designer Megan Gray does nice work with the costumes from the more casual yet nerdy look of Dr. Gray to the more stylish look of Sofi.
The visual effects work of Michael Glen and Vico Sharabani is terrific for some of the minimal moments in the film including a crucial scene that would play an impact into Dr. Gray‘s life. Sound designer Steve Boeddeker does amazing work with the sound to play into some of Dr. Gray‘s research as well as the moments in some of the gatherings he would go to. The film’s music by Will Bates and Phil Mossman is superb for its electronic-based score that includes some ambient textures and bass-driven pieces while they would also provide additional music under the Fall on Your Sword banner with music supervisor Joe Rudge adding music to the soundtrack from some classical to a couple of pieces by Radiohead.
The casting by James Calleri, Paul Davis, and Dilip Shankar is wonderful as it includes some appearances and small roles from William Mapother as a preacher Dr. Gray meets in India, Cara Seymour as a doctor/researcher Dr. Gray and Karen meet in the second half as it relates to their child, Venida Evans as a diary farmer Dr. Gray meets in Boise, and Kashish as a young girl Dr. Gray meets in India. Archie Panjabi is fantastic as Priya Varma as a community center head in India who helps Dr. Gray find a girl that has this unique eye pattern while being someone who asks him rational questions on spirituality. Steven Yeun is superb as Dr. Gray’s research partner Kenny who would provide many connections as well as create a database for Dr. Gray in his research.
Astrid Berges-Frisbey is amazing as Sofi as this beautiful young woman Dr. Gray falls for where she provides something that is exotic but also challenges him into questions of spirituality. Brit Marling is brilliant as Karen as Dr. Gray’s lab assistant who would help him in finding the research and eventually become his wife where she would get him to take the next big step into his research that would lead him to India. Finally, there’s Michael Pitt in an excellent performance as Dr. Ian Gray as a graduate student/scientist who is trying to see if there is something to the evolution of the human eye as he copes with falling in love and later more questions about everything as well as there is a chance to disprove the ideas of faith.
I Origins is a marvelous film from Mike Cahill. Featuring a great cast as well as captivating take on the ideas of evolution and spirituality, it’s a film that showcases one man’s fascination with man’s evolution despite his apprehension towards the ideas of faith and spirituality. In the end, I Origins is a remarkable film from Mike Cahill.
Another Earth
© thevoid99 2016
