Pig (I) (2011) User Reviews

A tantalizing movie that keeps you thinking even after the film

[curtis-lori · 7/10 · 14 January 2012]

This movie about a man who wakes up in the desert with no memory is a fascinating look into what part our memories play in who we are and who we perceive ourselves to be. Writer/Director Henry Barrial uses a mystery to take a fresh look at relationships, memory and consciousness. This film is much better viewed without to much knowledge of the plot, allowing your subconscious to follow the clues to the surprising ending. The movie is being billed as a science fiction thriller, which it is, but it's a thoughtful, psychological study rather than what passes for most box office Sci-Fi these days. You won't find gratuitous explosions here!

Pig is a well crafted film, with care taken to make every scene relate to a greater whole. The desert and Los Angeles scenes really capture their location in a way that isn't often seen. I enjoyed seeing places I am familiar with but which rarely making into the movies.

Finally, the acting is superb. Rudolph Martin does the heavy lifting of carrying the film with little dialogue and we care about his character from the beginning. All the actors are great in their roles and the chemistry between them is believable and compelling.

Ambitious and intelligent yet only mildly captivating.

[baunacholi-86159 · 5/10 · 20 June 2022]

(Guinea) pig starts with a crime vibe, evolves into a mystery thriller and ends as sci-fi. An interesting concept: are u willing to erase all pain, suffering and painful memories? Unfortunately the cover gives away already a big part of the plot. The remaining pieces are nicely arranged however I missed the punch.

Memories

[justahunch-70549 · 7/10 · 21 February 2024]

The opening of this film gives one a little hint about what this is actually about, but that hint is pretty subtle. This is an intriguing combination of an enjoyable mystery and some science fiction and it works pretty well helped immensely by the lead performance of Rudolf Martin an actor I've never heard of despite a long list of credits. This story of a man finds himself in the desert hooded with his hands zip tied without any idea why since he also discovers he has amnesia. It's pretty original and it ends in a somewhat unexpected way, though you might catch on a little earlier than that. I'm not sure if it was ever released theatrically in the USA or why it's called Pig, but I liked it.

Awesome Indie Sci-Fi

[nobudgetfilmschool · 16 November 2011]

I just saw this film at the St. Louis Film Festival and I was frankly blown away. Maybe I wasn't expecting much, though the premise intrigued me, but I'd never heard of the film before nor any of the actors. The postcard listed some awards and I'm a sci-fi buff, so I gave it a shot. First, let me say, that this film isn't for everyone. If your idea of a great sci-fi film is "Planet of the Apes" or "Star Trek," then this film might not be for you. It's just not that kind of sci-fi. It's "indie" sci-fi, or as the producer said, "lo-fi" sci-fi. There's no space ships or talking apes in this film. However, if you're a fan of Nolan's "Memento," then run, don't walk to see it.

I don't want to get flagged for spoiling the surprise, but just suffice to say that the film is a mystery with a big reveal at the end that you'll never, never guess. Before that point, I was glued. You're given a series of subtle clues, and then some weird stuff starts happening with the time-line, and you're just trying to fit all the pieces together. Yes, this movie will make you think, and work a bit, but not as much as "Memento." It's a really smart film that makes you think at the end, about a lot of things, not just about what happened. Like any good sci-fi, you think about humankind's place in the world, and what we're doing to potentially mess things up. This film also makes you think about identity, what makes us who and what we are. I'm going to have to see it again when it comes out on video. Until then, if it comes to a city near you, SEE IT!

Poor man's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

[lloyd1018 · 4/10 · 2 December 2013]

Don't believe the hyped reviews here. This film is basically a poor man's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. For me the plot took far too long developing. The plot device of a man with amnesia is one of the great cinematic clichés. I felt this film didn't really take off until it was revealed that the protagonist was the subject of a memory blocking drug. By that time it was too late. Even then it was merely a repeat of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind imho.

I thought the notion of our mystery man having changed for the good was the strongest idea in the movie. If only that had been the primary focus of the flick rather than spending two thirds of screen time milking the mystery then maybe this would be something special. The acting was good which meant this was a bit of a waste of talent from what I could see. It's easy to be critical and bloody hard to make a good movie. Just wish more time had been spent on the script in this case.

A small gem.

[Milchman · 8/10 · 2 May 2011]

Saw this at the Sci-Fi London festival. Although a genre picture, it is one that is no way clichéd.

I won't give away any more of the plot than is already available on this site, not just for the sake of spoilers, but also because the subtle way in which the plot is revealed (one heavy handed plot turn aside), is one of the main joys of this small gem of a film. It's a very low budget feature, but what it lacks in action and special effects, it more than makes up for in intrigue, tension, a good central concept, deft story telling and a towering central performance from Rudolph Martin. One or two aspects are ambiguous and require a small leap of faith, but this is in no way to the film's detriment. Recommended.

Independent Genius

[melanie-66-349501 · 10/10 · 28 May 2011]

Pig, is a brilliant, intelligent story, that belies its lo-fi budget. At first glance, it appears as a simple sci-fi story of a desperate man, caught up in a game of mystery. But, looks can be deceiving, and writer/director, Henry Barrial, presents a much deeper tale of loss, pain, and morality. The viewer is drawn into "The Man's" life, and cannot help but feel his sense of loss and confusion. Pig explores the worlds of deception, mind control, and the state of the human condition. It is the ultimate story of adaptation and survival, and asks the viewer to think. Does Lukas Ernst, played with subtle genius, by Rudolf Martin, win, or lose his inner battle? Is what is in a man's heart and soul more powerful than his memory? You'll have to decide for yourself. This is one of those rare movies that will leave you with a quiet uneasiness, and a yearning to return for another round.

Fascinating Movie

[silke-10 · 10/10 · 28 June 2011]

"Pig" is the best example that movies don't need a very high budget to be good.

The movie shows the gripping and captivating story of a man with amnesia. From the beginning the viewer is wondering what happened to "the man", if he will find it out and most of all if he can handle it then. Up and downs and a lot of more and more questions are chasing the man through the story.

Brilliant actors - in particular the lead actor Rudolf Martin, in full activity for his role. Hope, that more viewers will get the chance to see this fascinating movie. It is it worth.

Brilliantly crafted independent film

[Sjhm · 10/10 · 1 May 2011]

Pig simply ticks all my film choice boxes. Intelligent, with insightful character performances, and a complex plot; this is a film to make you think. From the opening scenes you sense you will be on a very uncommon journey, it begins slowly and builds in intensity without ever losing sight of the tension needed to keep the audience engaged. The final conclusion is a dramatic tour-de-force. Deliberately ambiguous, you can make of it what you will, personally it was deeply emotionally moving. Writer/director Henry Barrial proves beyond any doubt that he is a master craftsman. With a beautifully judged, subtle and intelligent performance from actor Rudolf Martin in the leading role, there is nothing out of place, nothing that jars the senses. This film is, simply, one of the best and most rewarding features I have seen on a big screen in a very long time.

Incredibly Slow, but Very Interesting.

[betchaareoffendedeasily · 5 August 2019]

Calling this a "Poor man 's eternal sunshine of the spotless mind", is pretty silly and lazy, and just not true. Having similar themes, does not make you a copycat. This is not like the above mentioned film at all, save a few thematic similarities, the execution could not be more polar opposite. Saying too much would ruin this film as it does have a lot of twist and turns. I would recommend not watching this if you dislike slow-paced films or dislike low-budget films that rely mostly on storytelling.

This movie was interesting enough that I watched it over the course of 3 days because it made me interested in what happened to the character. This is really what set this film apart for me from so many other low-budget films, I truly did care about what happened to the main character, and by the end of the movie, I was deeply saddened There was a good enough mystery here that the film holds together until the very end. The acting is decent all around, especially the lead, he carries the entire film and he does fantastic. The cinematography is good(though the shaky camera work may bother some people}, the script is not bad, it is quite decent and cleverly constructed(I was reminded a little bit of "Momento" as I was watching it). While it can be confusing at times, verything gels together by the end, but you really have to be patient.

The exploration into memory, trauma, and how we deal with it is interesting, and I felt it's take on it was refreshing. The later "Reveversion" has similar themes. By the end of it, all the character has gone through, and will go through, is a bit heartbreaking. This is a very sad film, it is bleak, and to be honest, without hope by the time you realize what is actually going on.

This is a well-made film that deserves a bigger viewership.

God Bless ~Amy

Mindblowingly cool- Such is the stuff dreams are made of.

[MLTheD · 10/10 · 15 March 2012]

Warning: I loved Vanilla Sky, so you can tell, assuming you've seen the movie, that I'm a fan of films which bend and challenge my mind and force me to explore ideas that can only be explored in literature, film, theatre and through use of illegal substances. "Pig" is such a film. The subject explored is of memory- what it means, how and if we need it, what would happen if we could control selected moments of it. Directed beautifully by Henry Barrial with attention to detail and character that is amazing, it is captivating from the first frame. The first few minutes of the film are without any dialogue and drew me inexorably into the story. It opens in a desert with a man, hands zip-tied behind his back, who is obviously in a state of complete confusion and terror. Rudolph Martin, a brilliant actor, managed to draw me in with so many fascinating nuances that it would take longer than seeing the movie to explain them all. All of the performances are incredibly compelling to the point where, even though the film is science-fiction ostensibly, it feels so grounded and authentic that I felt I was observing someone's life. The film deals with a huge subject but the story is told in such a concise, wonderfully lean way that I felt it on a very personal level. Mr. Barrial also wrote the script. I'm normally not a person who believes that a writer should direct his own material mainly because there's an objectivity lost in the process, but clearly, Barrial is able to separate his writer from his director as there is not a moment in the film that feels precious or self-absorbed. The movie's music fits perfectly with the tone of the film, underscoring the story in a spare and very effective manner. I could not recommend the film more highly. GO SEE IT!