This year’s Cannes Film Festival has sparked a certain degree of controversy around its inclusion of films produced by Netflix, one of which is acclaimed South Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s sixth directorial project, OKJA. Concerning itself with the peaceful life of farm girl Mija (Ahn Seo-Hyun) and her giant pet pig Okja, the film follows her perilous efforts, along with activist group ALF, led by a mysterious man named Jay (Paul Dano), to save her beloved pet from the evil clutches of the Mirando Corporation.

At the 8:30 screening on May 19th, a heaving queue of bustling journalists and reporters pour into the Grand Théâtre Lumière, quietening down to a gentle hustle. Excitement rises as production company logos proudly parade across the screen, and then an inordinate amount of booing and clapping begins to fill the auditorium. In light of the festival/company disagreements, this is worrying mood setting. However, after around 5 minutes of confusion amongst the ushers, it becomes apparent that the projection ratios of the screen are completely off. The distraction generated by this hiccup has allowed the excitable crowd to see the opening sequence twice. 20 minutes later, as a great sense of anticipation for the film fills the air, the performance kicks off. And it delivers. Big time.

On the surface, OKJA presents an intriguing complexity. The prolific South Korean auteur has directed a film with a mostly American cast, backed by an increasingly prominent American production company. It is easy to let the mind wonder how such a pairing of industries would translate on screen. Although we’ve seen it before, this film presents such a unique premise that it becomes hard to predict. Fortunately, the result is spectacular.

…have you ever seen a giant pig crash through a shopping mall before?

In regards to the casting, Tilda Swinton’s role as Lucy Mirando, the head of the villainous corporation, is positively electrifying, straight off the bat. Although her company’s goal to publicly crown Okja as their own genetically modified prized pig and use it for the best strands of meat does seem diabolical, especially since co-star Ahn Seo-Hyun does such a brilliant job of connecting with the creature throughout the film, Swinton’s performance welcomes the audience to sympathise with the character, dedicating enough time to her humane embarrassments in a brilliantly pitched performance. On the other hand, Jake Gyllenhaal carries most of the comedy, in a surprisingly pantomimic fashion, portraying Dr. Johnny Wilcox, the T.V. Zoologist fronting Mirando’s pig search. Although it is quite a bold contrast, OKJA’s emotional punch would not have worked without this constant undercurrent of cynical levity. Things get darker and increasingly thought-provoking near the climax, where its well paced editing thankfully hits the intended notes.

It’s hard to pin a genre to OKJA. It works not only as a heart warming adventure film, but as a heist thriller – and makes a strong environmental statement. While Joon-ho and co-writer Jon Ronson put childhood imagination to the forefront, the other elements of the film are just spiky enough to entice a wider audience – and connect on an emotional level with adults too. The action sequences, while nothing too groundbreaking, beg the question, ‘Well, have you ever seen a giant pig crash through a shopping mall before?’. Action and comedy work in brilliant harmony, with fast paced moments coupled with hilarity from ALF members K (Steven Yeun) and Jay. Echoes of nostalgia from films such as E.T. are indisputable, but with such a unique main character, it becomes hard to compare OKJA to any other film. In beautiful and subtle ways, this film is unlike many others: a brilliant example of what film can be.

While many films competing for this year’s Palm D’Or are pushing their respective political statements to varying degrees, this film sets itself apart by wearing its heart on its sleeve with pride, carrying us through the journey as gracefully as possible while maintaining heaps of fun. A film that carries no pretensions, OKJA could be one of Netflix’s, if not one of the year’s, best original films.