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| Babe: Pig in the City
The pig rides again, this time he visits the city and faces grown-up realities.
The fundamental difference between 1995's surprise hit Babe and its
sequel, Pig in the City, is a change of tone. Whilst Babe happily
indulged in occasional "serious" moments, Pig in the City often
surrounds itself in gloom, and its characters are forced to attempt to
emerge from it. That's quite a feat for a family film to achieve without presenting its characters as somber as
their surroundings. Achieving this much is something that director
George Miller (Mad Max, The Witches of Eastwick) can be proud of, at least for the most part.
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Miller adapted Babe from the novel written by Dick King-Smith (entitled
The Sheep Pig), and does the same task for Pig in the City as well as
replacing director Chris Noonan. He gives an unusual atmosphere to the
film, which is largely to do with the setting - "The Big City." This is
one unusual place, with Venice like canals and a wide range of sights to
see - the Sydney opera house, the statue of liberty, the Eiffel tower
and the Hollywood sign. Miller conveys that this fairy tale city is not
located anywhere, so much as it is everywhere. Pig in the City's story starts off directly after Babe's finishes. Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell, who received an Oscar nomination for his performance in the original) and Babe (voice of E.G. Daily, replacing Christine Cavanaugh) are local celebrities for their astonishing display in the National Sheep Dog's Championship. But unfortunately Hoggett takes a bad fall down a well, thus making him unable to work. The farm soon faces financial ruin, so Mrs. Hoggett (Magda Szubanski) plans to take Babe to a state fair in search for enough money to save their home. They end up stranded in The Big City, and stay at an eerie hotel for pets. Pig in the City is an ill-advised sequel. Babe ended on a wonderfully high note, pleasing audiences with scenes that were both artistic and entertaining. It was a rewarding tale brought to life largely from Cromwell's performance and Babe's innocence. Although the pig's innocence is still very much a part of the sequel, Cromwell is severely missed. He was the sane centre of the original; everyone acted crazy around him. This time Magda Szubanski is the lead human actor, but her cheerful comic mannerisms are exaggerated to ridiculous lengths, and she soon becomes more irritating than entertaining. There is some truth behind the many allegations that Pig in the City is too depressing and gloomy for children. Some scenes - namely Farmer Hoggett falling down the well and Babe saving animals from gruesome deaths - are distressing to watch. Although the underlining themes of the film include friendship, determination and courage, it is only an uplifting experience on very few occasions. Pig in the City is exhausting when it should be uplifting, and annoying when it should be entertaining. This is not to say that George Miller has not crafted some excellent moments and characters. Thelonius (voice of James Cosmo) is an old and wise orangutan who always likes to be dressed for the moment. He is easily the most intriguing character, as every one of his movements and words are emphasized by Miller, and the audience subsequently takes notice. Thelonius is one of the few animals that gives a lasting impact, and is able to burst out of his gloomy surroundings to create an intriguing demeanour of his own. Adults will appreciate the atmosphere that Miller creates more than children will. But as a family film, a sequel, and a candidate for this holiday's box office trophy, Babe: Pig in the City simply doesn't bring home the bacon. |
| On the Buckmaster scale of 0 stars (bomb), to 5 stars (a masterpiece):
2 stars Review © copyright Luke Buckmaster See also:
For credits and official site details, click here. Due for Australian release Dec 10, 1998 | |
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| Just the facts:
Title: Babe: Pig in the City (1998) | ||
| The Players: James Cromwell, Magda Szubanski, Mickey Rooney | Official website | ||
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For session times of current films, use the cinema listings on the Movie links page. For scheduled release dates, see the coming attractions section. |
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No other uses are permitted without the prior written consent of owner. Use of the material in violation of the foregoing may result in civil and/or criminal penalties. Celebrate everything! www.festivale.info ISSN 1328-8008 Published in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia disclaimers | contact the editor | Festivale revision history   Published in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia copyright © Festivale 1998 All rights reservedFiled: 17-Nov-1998 
Last updated: 1-Dec-1998Last tested: 3-Jul-2014 Last compiled:<3-Jul-2014
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