dystopian film

1

Okja (South Korea)

Okja Film Difficulty Ranking: 1

At last, a film on Film Root that you can watch with a large popcorn and coke. It’s just like the Hollywood blockbusters you are familiar with and you can watch it on Netflix! It has a recognizable cast, action, clear demarcations between good and evil, and drama. You’ll also get Film Root points for watching this, as it is made by Korean Bong Joon-ho and features a bit of Korean! So have a day off from the art-house and slow films usually on here and enjoy!

Here’s a teaser trailer (no spoilers this time)

Why Watch Okja?
  • It’s a Hollywood film, it’s mostly in English, and it’s on Netflix! It’s an easy way for you to say you’ve watched an international film!
  • To see more from Bong Joon-ho, the great Korean director behind The Host and Snowpiercer
  • Learn about the brutal side of the food industry (to learn even more check out Food Inc)
  • If you like cute pigs!
Breakdown

You’ll see the high heeled Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) open the film with a swanky presentation that is one part Steve Jobs and two parts Pop Idol. She introduces Mirando (a rip on the real life Monsanto) and their latest innovation that will solve world hunger: a Super Pig.

For the Pop Idol twist, Lucy Mirando introduces a worldwide competition. She will send a bunch of Super Pigs to the best farmers from around the world and see who can raise the best Super Pig.

Sure enough, one of these Super Pigs is sent to Korea. As next we follow Mija, the young farm girl who takes care of Okja.

From the scenes with Okja and Mija, the director makes it clear that Okja is more than just a piece of meat. Okja helps Mija catch fish and harvest fruit and even saves Mija’s life in one of the opening scenes. These early scenes with Mija and Okja establish that Okja is a sentient and intelligent being.

However, Mirando, like the real life Monsanto and any good capitalist business is all about profit margins. Despite the best PR attempts of Lucy to hide her company’s lack of responsibility, it is obvious to us that they are bad!

Conclusion

Okja brings the ugly corporate controlled food industry to Hollywood with style! It has everything you want if you’re used to Hollywood blockbusters and you can watch it at home on Netflix!

Favourite quotes from the film (the first is also a personal goal of mine):

“Learn a new language – it opens doors!”

“Translations are sacred”

2

The 10th Victim (Italy)

The 10th Victim Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Yes! There is a film which is a combination of Austin Powers and The Hunger Games. It’s called The 10th Victim and it was made in Italy in the 1960s. You may be thinking: “how does it work?” My answer is: don’t worry about it, the dystopian world that director Elio Petri creates is worth your time. It’s colours, setting, and subtle critiques of modern society make this film one of the most unique films and one that you should watch.

Why Watch The 10th Victim?
  • To watch the Italian 60s equivalent to the Hunger Games
  • This dystopia is complete with brothels, minimalist furniture and fashion, artificial insemination centres, and no old people!
  • It features Marcello Mastroianni from La Dolce Vita and Ursula Andress (the first Bond girl)
  • To find out more about ‘The Big Hunt’ – “Hitler would have become a member”
The Breakdown

The 10th Victim starts with a gun shootout between a man and a woman in an abandoned warehouse. As they are firing at each other, a narrator pauses the action to explain what is going on. The man and woman are members of ‘The Big Hunt’, a game where one plays 5 times as a hunter and 5 times as a victim. As a hunter, you are given a target to kill. However, as a victim, you must try and find out who your hunter is and kill them before they kill you. The one who comes out alive after 10 rounds is honoured and given $1million. Would you become a member?

The ‘Big Hunt theory’ is advertised throughout the film with it’s many slogans. Here’s some of the best:

  • “If you are suicidal, the big hunt has a special place for you”
  • “An Enemy a day keeps the doctor away”
  • “Hitler would have become a member”

The whole event was thought up as an outlet for violence (an idea also shown in The Most Dangerous Game based on the Spartan Crypteia event).

In The 10th Victim the violence is limited to those who choose to take part in the big hunt. Taking part is a quick way to find fame as the best killers are constantly stalked by paparazzi and dominate the news. These killers are the equivalent of today’s celebrity. They relish the spotlight, support the biggest brands, and always have to look good for the camera. This is one of the strangest, memorable critiques of capitalism on film.

Conclusion

Elio Petri’s The 10th Victim is a pop-culture blast. The world he creates is unlike anything you’ve seen, with bright colours, minimalistic architecture, and one-tone clothing. The wacky soundtrack confirms that Elio Petri’s tongue was firmly in his cheek when he was making this film. The cheesiness and laughs are all part of the satire that makes fun of consumerism, corporations, and celebrity culture. What a strange but awesome film!