Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Pig Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 4, 2021

“Pig” isn’t an easy film to sell to the public, and marketing materials have tried to push the feature as a revenge picture, with a “John Wick”-esque concept of a reclusive man returning to a world he left behind for the love of an animal. In this case, it’s a truffle pig, with Nicolas Cage tasked with portrayed a deadened man on the hunt for his best pal. Writer/director Michael Sarnoski doesn’t deliver a high-octane offering of action cinema with the movie. He goes deeply dramatic instead, ignoring the potential absurdity of the premise to take the whole mission as seriously as possible, digging into troubled characters carrying their own body weight in grief. “Pig” is an odd picture, but that’s the idea, with Sarnoski trying to approach human emotions from different angles, finding fresh ways to deal with primal hurt, with the endeavor more of a “Ratatouille” riff than a vicious Keanu Reeves bruiser.

Living in the deep Oregon woods, Rob (Nicolas Cage) keeps to himself, spending his days with a truffle pig that’s extraordinarily skilled at finding valuable treasures in the dirt. Rob loves his pig, making an emotional connection to the creature, and his worst nightmare is realized when thugs knock him out and steal the animal. Refusing to accept the loss, Rob decides to return to society after a 15-year-long break, volunteering his middleman, Amir (Alex Wolff), to drive him into Portland, preparing to confront people he hasn’t seen in a long time. Desperate to get the pig back, Rob visits secret areas and puts himself in harm’s way to acquire leads, also dealing with Amir’s issues with his father, Darius (Adam Arkin), a cold man who’s also the “rare foods king” of the city, inspiring Rob to challenge the cuisine tycoon.

“Pig” is a film about loneliness and isolation, introducing Rob as a man with a broken spirit who lives in squalor deep within a forest. He doesn’t shower or see many people, preferring to spend his hours with his animal, a truffle pig with a remarkable ability to detect the finest fungi around, happily pointing out the good stuff for Rob to dig up. They have a partnership and a deep love, with Rob tending to the pig’s needs, offering care and food while they make a life together in the middle of nowhere. Breaking the silence is Amir, a young man trying to play the part of a slick food dealer, driving around in a yellow Camaro while wearing fancy outfits and a Miami coke dealer mustache. He’s putting on a show for business, and he’s the only person dealing with Rob these days, selling the truffles for a small fortune. Amir is also an emotionally wounded person, which is detailed later on in the feature, also interested in hiding his issues, making for an unexpectedly fitting companion for the Portland mission.

Again, “Pig” doesn’t get aggressive in a formulaic way. Rob doesn’t dig up a sack of guns and make his way to the villains. He basically stumbles back into view, at first questioning members of the truffle subculture, meeting a buyer furious to find out that someone is messing with the system. Finding no luck interrogating drug addicts, Rob returns to Portland, with Sarnoski depicting the city as a wasteland of desensitized citizens involved in the restaurant world, which includes a stop an underground fight club where employees bash one another for cash prizes. The second act of “Pig” tracks Rob’s progress in the bleak city, and we see the impact of his return, with the mere mention of his name stopping people cold, suddenly realizing they’re in the presence of a legend, piecing together the character’s history as a chef of unparalleled skill. However, what’s not clear is Rob’s headspace, with the shattered man either insightful or insane, frightening Amir with his intense observations on life and seismic history.

Pig Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Pig" arrives with an unusually small file size, coming in at 16GB. The feature offers a somber color palette, with earthier exteriors for Rob's home life, and near sepia tones for his city search. Flashier yellows are found with Amir's yellow car and business signage, and greenery has some power. Skintones are natural. It's a softer, darker looking feature, but detail picks up on Rob's rough appearance, from open wounds to bushy facial hair. Decorative elements are adequately defined, along with food preparation. Exteriors retain dimension. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain layer is heavier but doesn't always hold together, fighting blockiness at times. Mild banding is briefly detected.

Pig Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix handles dialogue exchanges with care, securing hushed conversations and more aggressive confrontations without losing intelligibility. Scoring cues offer circular engagement, with crisp instrumentation. Atmospherics are active, examining the details of rural living and urban travel, and restaurant bustle is present, with some separation effects. Low-end isn't challenged in this mostly still movie, but harder hits of violence offer some weight.

Pig Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Nicolas Cage Cooks" (HD) includes "Three-Mushroom Tart" (20:05) with Chef Chris Czarnecki and "Pigeon and Pommes Anna" (18:18) with Chef Gabriel Rucker. Shot during the production of "Pig," Cage (who has touches of fake blood in his hair) is introduced to the world of the fine dining kitchen, offered lessons on working with dough, chopping vegetables, and dealing with a hot pan during his visit with Czarnecki, who also provides a few philosophies on cooking, and analyzes the creative release of the work, bonding with the actor as they connect on the artful ways of food preparation and consumption. With Rucker, Cage is more relaxed, examining the "sensuality" of mushroom separation, the gruesomeness of removing pigeon innards, and the aesthetics of plating. What's especially interesting here is a chance to see Cage unguarded, acting as a normal guy trying to learn some kitchen authority for the movie, marveling over the many steps required to finish the meals.

• Deleted Scenes (HD) include "Drunk Man" (2:57), "Cleaning Up" (1:25), and "Kitchen" (2:39).

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:17, HD) is included.

Pig Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Pig" carries along slowly, with Sarnoski creating a heavy mood for the film, helped along by cinematographer Patrick Scola. The journey to retrieve the pig offers a plot, but the production is more interested in the chest-caving anguish of unresolved grief, as both Rob and Amir are dealing with intense family issues, finding the latter coming to understand his father in a different way. There's a food element to the tale as well, found in scenes where Rob returns to employees from his past life, grilling them on their true passions and integrity. Areas of emotion are also accessed by meals, providing Rob with a type of super power. "Pig" doesn't get aggressive, it runs deep, with Cage delivering a superb performance in a role that seems specifically tailored to his abilities, helping Sarnoski find a brutal reality underneath what initially appears to be a silly concept for a revenge picture. Instead, they generate an original take on the mourning process.