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24 out of 29 people found the following review useful: Give it another chance!, 14 January 1999 Author: Zach Klinefelter from Washington
In my opinion one of the year's best films, I cannot help but pity poor Universal and director George Miller for the loss of the sequel to "Babe." Kudos go to them for making a film so original and daring, so out of place in the family film market today, as it defies almost everything that stands for these days: you don't forget the entire movie within a few hours; rather, it stays with you, filling your head with bold and imaginative images that rival those of the best children's books out there."Babe: Pig in the City" is much like many other great sequels ("The Empire Strikes Back," "Aliens") in that it is superior to the original but so different from it, that it is not even worth making a comparison of the two. Why have so many people rejected it? Why was it on so many critics' ten best lists, and the public shunned it so much? It is really rather simple. There is no place for a THOUGHT-PROVOKING family film in this day and age, with the exception of perhaps "The Prince of Egypt."The thing that makes me laugh here is, teenagers and adults alike are commenting on how violent "Babe 2" is, yet if I remember correctly few or no animals at all die in the film. And no big deal seems to be made when the same stuff happens to human beings in "family films."To be honest, I don't think they should have rated it G, simply because it seems that anyone seeing this under the age of nine would be confused and perplexed by it. Most people over that age however should be able to follow it well, and understand that the things happening in it are no worse than what kids (and especially teens) see everyday, whether it's on TV's "The Simpsons" (my favorite show) or something at the multiplex (a whole ARMY of people gets drowned in "The Prince of Egypt"- a PG rated film).In the end I am truly hoping that "Babe: Pig in the City" is given at least some Oscar nominations, especially for the art direction, cinematography, and visual effects- all of which were superb. A great movie, even though it has not found an audience.This movie just screams: "Give it another chance!"
20 out of 25 people found the following review useful: Death is darker, 29 August 2003 Author: Wadsworth2002 from San Francisco
Many people just don't get it. They may tell you this movie is too dark for children. Don't believe them. This is a great movie for children. Didn't "Snow White" have an old hag try to kill her with a poison apple. Death is darker than any "dark tone" laid out in this gorgeous piece of cinema, but "Snow White" didn't get as many negative comments as this movie. The kids that watched the original "Babe" have grown up, and so did the franchise. Sure the movie may have a few adult moments than the original; for instance, most kids won't understand the whole Mrs. Hoggett cavity search incident. But overall this movie presents the great moral that everyone should be good to each other over everything else, even to someone who might have done something wrong to you. That is a message that everyone, adults and children, should hear and consider. In the end, "Babe" achieves respect and gains a whole new group of friends from his good deeds, and everyone is happy including the audience. I think this movie will be considered a classic sometime in the future, as it should be.
16 out of 20 people found the following review useful: Gene Siskel was right in picking it as Movie of the Year, 27 February 1999 Author: Mullen from Tampa Bay, FL
First off, this movie is not a kids' movie. Many critics have accused Babe: Pig in the City of being too dark and violent for children. Let's remember that George Miller also filmed the three Mad Max films - what did you expect?This film is a masterpiece - it has a story that may seem simple but is full of symbolism; it is full of amazing special effects and animatronics; and it has incredible compositions and film directing.The special effects have improved considerably since the first film. In fact, one scene involves over 300 talking animals! The goldfish were very convincing and the cute little cat is adorable.The filming of this movie was incredible. No one can forget the shot of his silhouette as he looks out the stain-glass window at his owner. Or the shot of Polonious holding the goldfish in the center of the room.In no way can the first Babe movie and its sequel be compared. The two are entirely different. And though the story may seem childish, the film has so many sub-plots that can teach us a lot. The one that stands out the most to me is Polonious and his "Godfather"-like role. He strives so hard to be human, and when he accepts the fact that he is a monkey he comes the closer to being human then he had ever been. So many people today need to accept who they are in order to become what they want.Don't quickly dismiss this film as one for children. Give it a chance and you will be rewarded.
15 out of 21 people found the following review useful: Gene Siskel, you had the right idea!!, 17 July 2003 Author: Ericho from In a chair
I would just like to thank Gene Siskel for all the tribute he gave to this movie. He ranked it as the best movie of 1998!! I would have to agree with him! This has got to be one of the funniest, wildest, best films of all time!!! The first "Babe" is pale in comparison to this movie! Anyway, it's about how Mrs. Hoggat is in debt, so she takes Babe to live in the big city with her. When Babe gets there, he meets tons of new animal friends, cats, dogs, monkeys, you name it! I also remember how the one monkey lady would always call him "the pig whitey thing". There were so many animal characters, but yet it worked because they were all each in some way important to the story. The duck was funny, too! Give us more of the duck! It was also cool how the bulldog wanted everyone to obey Babe, and it was like he was Babe's protector. What was also satisfying was how at the end, they told about what happened to all of the animal characters. It makes you realize how these animals all have their own communities and such. That's why I adore movies like this and "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey".I'll never forget my favorite part, the scene at the end where Mrs. Hoggat was flying in those big trousers and everyone was in a frenzy to get Babe. And they made cute references, like the part where Babe was giving the jellybeans ("Thank the pig") was probably a reference to the pope, I believe. I can't believe this movie has no quotes! Please don't listen to the Leonard Maltin review. I personally think the first "Babe" was darker than BPITC. Anyway, this is truly a wonderful film. I've only seen it once (I think) so rent it today! A perfect 10/10.
10 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Yes! Better than the Original! Pigs in Leather!, 24 September 2002 Author: funkyfry from Oakland CA
A film that seems too odd to be truly made for kids -- seems director Miller put one over on the producers. the resulting film is a vivid fantasy about a talking pig with a bloated ego (presumably because he's a hero from the first film in the series) who makes the trip to the big city and has to make his way in a house full of animals when "their" humans disappear. Interestingly grown-up social satire as Babe rescues a pit-bull who uses his muscle to enforce the pig's utopic vision of animal community. Rooney appears in an excellent bit as a strange circus clown for whose death Babe is apparently responsible. The finale features a crazy group rumble a la Marx Brothers that will please everyone in the audience -- a class A product, too good to be popular, but sure to please anyone not attatched to its more treacly forebear.
7 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Brilliant-- but definitely not for the kiddies..., 12 August 1999 Author: lawndale
Although it might initially seem like a strange comparison, I must rate "Babe: Pig in the City" alongside "Alien 3" as two of the most grotesquely misunderstood and underappreciated films of the last 10 years. Both films are brilliantly crafted, with complex elements of plot, theme, and symbolism that stunned and confused moviegoers expecting to see films that resembled their respective predecessors. The challenges that Babe faces in his second adventure are much more demanding-- both of Babe himself and of his viewers-- than any mere sheep-herding competition.Gene Siskel's assessment of "P.i.t.C." as the best film of 1998 is completely accurate-- it even exceeds the standards of such award-winners as "Shakespeare in Love" and "The Truman Show," which says quite a bit about a certain little pig.The dark tone-- one that makes this movie unsuitable for kids under 10-- is established very early, with an accident that gives Babe (and us) a horrible scare and that sets up the necessity for Babe and Mrs. Hoggett (a delightfully comic character who brings needed levity to the movie) to venture into the forboding city. The city itself is a visual masterpiece, incorporating well-known landmarks from around the world, adding to the universality of the movie's message.The direction is flawless-- which is quite an achievement considering the myriad animatronic animals that were used; the climactic scene in which Mrs. Hoggett "bungees" around a ballroom, trying to rescue "her pig," is one of the most memorably hysterical scenes in recent memory.Each of the "P.i.t.C's" many characters is carefully developed to an extent that is rarely seen today-- from Thelonius to Flealick, each dog, cat, goldfish, bird, or monkey adds something uniquely *human* to Babe's experience in the city. Together, the animals create a subtle lesson about the importance of self-acceptance and of maintaining one's integrity of identity. Most importantly, the film conveys this message without ever becoming trite or hyperglycemic in its presentation of the plot events-- even the more unpleasant ones (the goldfish...)-- or of the characters.Rating: 10/10. There is NOTHING about which to nit-pick with "Babe: Pig in the City" when it is NOT interpreted as a children's movie.
10 out of 15 people found the following review useful: A Classic, 19 November 2003 Author: sloughflux
This film will one day be recognized as a classic. It is cinematic magic from beginning to end. Who cares what it is about and whether it is dark (and what film doesn't have a dark element, there is a nasty trend where we are supposed to keep the darker impulses from the wee ones, as if ignorance is wisdom), it is wonderful to look at, the acting is amazing, the animals are perfectly on cue, the action sequences are brilliant. It is a lovely and colorful dream, that yes might be a bit fantastical. So what? Imagine what a difference a movie set must be when it is predominantly animals in the movie.
7 out of 10 people found the following review useful: A Triumph, 12 December 1998 Author: Steve Baker (s.baker@iig.com.au) from Cairns Australia
Babe: Pig In The City is captivating; a triumph. It's right up there with other subversive, surreal masterpieces like Delicatessen and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover, but in spite of what you might have heard Babe 2 isn't too dark for children, or for any older human. It's full of many wonderfully melancholy moments but it's not nasty. Above all Babe: Pig In The City is a triumph for gentleness and a plea on behalf of the marginalised; the weak in our community. It's one of the best films yet made and an ideal film for children to see.What did Hollywood expect? Writer/director of Babe: Pig In The City, Australian George Miller couldn't be expected to roll over and produce a sweet (read merchandisable) sequel to the original Babe. He's far too human and thoughtful for that.George Miller for heaven's sake has been intimately involved with The Mad Max Films, Lorenzo's Oil, Flirting, Dead Calm, Bangkok Hilton (TV), The Year My Voice Broke and The Dismissal (TV) a list that has no hint within it of a thoughtless panderer to the consumer society. The Witches Of Eastwick was the only aberration and Miller reportedly hated that experience, swearing to never work with Hollywood again, not on their terms anyway.But then there was the phenomenon of Babe which made a fortune. Miller consented to do a sequel but demanded final cut and dismayed the toy makers when they found that Babe 2 didn't fit in with the money machine. So Babe: Pig In The City was dumped, with bad reviews generated probably from people who haven't even bothered to see it.Babe: Pig In The City sees James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett dumped (down a well) early in the film and the famous sheep-pig heading off to the city with Mrs Hoggett (Magda Szubanski) to earn some money to save the farm. The Pig gets separated from Mrs Hoggett and becomes aligned with a set of urban frightened animals who are threatened with being evicted from their homes. Babe saves the day by means of his sweet, giving nature.This film looks wonderful. The same digitalised mouth movements to match speech are used as in the original movie. Similarly amazing animal training has the stars doing wonderful things as they tell the story and the sets are simply superb. The city is a composite of Sydney, New York , Paris, London and others with the copperplate ETERNITY graffiti well known by older Sydneysiders sitting gently above it all; an appropriately sensitive emblem for the world Miller has created.Babe 2 is about innocence; about children. Some would say that the film is concerned with Animal Rights but I don't think it's drawing too long a bow to say that the film is commenting on the loss of power and self determination many millions are feeling in the western world as their jobs are disappearing. The lost, threatened animals in Babe have an aura of hopelessness, or at least helplessness before the bright and brave Babe shows them the way to assert themselves.Babe: Pig In The City is also often very funny, very human, even if animals are the stars. It's an absolute must see for all animal lovers, of any age. And if you think it's too dark, well grow up. That's life.
4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Screen's Sweetest Pig Is Back..with Lots Of Colourful New Friends, 9 July 2008 Author: Senyales from Fraggle Rock
Those who liked 'Babe' will wonder whether 'Babe: Pig in the City' is a good enough sequel. My answer is: definitely! Here are adorable pig is seen with some new colourful friends, lots of them, in a new adventure. Just like the first one, this one too is sheer delight, albeit a little more serious. I don't understand why people are complaining that this isn't a movie for kids. Why not? I think it's an excellent family film. There is no death or blood. It portrays a part of reality (e.g. that accidents happen, that there are others who are less fortunate than us etc) without getting to graphic and that's why it's great for kids too. It's a lot of fun and even suspenseful. I was in my teens when I first saw this film. There's one scene where Flealick follows the van but one he loses hold, he slides onto one side of the street and lies there motionless while the wheels on his 'scooter' rotate. For a moment my heart had stopped beating (as I thought he was dead) and I was so hoping that he hadn't passed away. The sequence that followed brought me back to laughing mode. Magda Szubanski has more to do here and she displays her comic abilities brilliantly. A strange thing I noticed was she had an American accent in the first film but here it's Australian and British. The rest of the voice-acting is done very well and in sync. The fictitious city (it may be Sidney as the famous opera-house was visible in one scene) is suitably dark and mysterious. I found 'Babe: Pig In The City' more uplifting than the first movie. I wish there was a third movie that would have made it a complete trilogy.
3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: So good., 26 February 2007 Author: beautifultragedy2
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Arthur Hoggett is injured within the first few minutes of this movie and is MIA for the rest of it. This turns out not to be so bad after all—at least, not for the audience. Because now, Esme gets to take center stage and have her own movie with the little pig. And that's great because she is a bubbly, fun character. She's lively, feisty, motherly, aggressive, honest, righteous, a little gullible, and sweet. She sets out with Babe to save the farm from the bank but unfortunately, they never even reach their destination—and all the action plays out in a strange city where they're stranded and forced to find a place to stay. Babe gets mixed up with a variety of city animals, some much more pleasant than others, and through all of their escapades, scary, sad, or otherwise, he ultimately winds up teaching the whole lot of them the lessons about simple kindness and courage that we know Babe is already famous for. He brings everyone together with his cute piggy power and by the end, heals both the hurting farm back home and the worlds of those living in the cold and dangerous city. And for those willing to look, the messages of this whimsical, strange film go even deeper.There are far fewer human characters than animals, but they too are well worth meeting. Esme befriends the slightly eccentric young woman who owns the only hotel around this whole insensitive city that welcomes animals. She's a thin, nervous, timid girl with a tender heart, who cares for her mysterious Uncle Fugly (in the Big Five personality types, I figure her for a definite RLOAN and Esme likely an SLUAI.) All we really know about *him* is that he has a troupe of performing monkeys and he entertains ill children as a clown—he also has a speech problem and his niece is the only one who can understand his mumbles. Kind of like Kenny. (I half expect someone to say to Babe, "OMG! You killed Fugly! You -------!") His death comes before we find out much more, but it is a pretty pivotal event. BTW, I've noticed so many errors in these reviews from people who obviously saw the film once, didn't pay careful enough attention, and forgot or messed up details. Like, why is there a question of whether Fugly dies or not--don't you remember his niece saying "...my Uncle Fugly on his deathbed?" There ya go.At any rate, the film only has one true villain—Hortense, the nasty lady who lives across the street from the hotel and is responsible for having all the strays Babe's brought in for sanctuary taken away in a very cruel manner. The landlady had tried to create a safe haven for animals and friends, but ultimately found that she could not do that in this cutthroat city. Of course, the finale is a heroic rescue scene in which everyone does their part. It involves Esme bouncing around for quite some time and ruining a very fancy dinner party in Fugly's old inflatable costume, which is the only thing she can wear after her own dress has been destroyed by former chaos. Among many, many other things, Babe saves two newborn chimpanzees and earns the respect of an old, embittered orangutan who ends up transferring his loyalty to Fugly, onto Esme. For all of the darkness this movie's accused of, it has a happy ending if I ever saw one. By the end, Esme and the landlady have clearly bonded; they work out a deal for the future that is perfect for both of them. They rent out the hotel (and it becomes the loud and obnoxious Dancelands, which should please Hortense even more than living across from a menagerie of vacationing animals). The money saves the Hoggett farm. All of the animals, from the monkeys to the poor assortment of down and out, needy strays who showed up to take advantage of Babe's hospitality to the landlady's pets to the random hotel animals who I guess have just been abandoned by their people and now need to be placed, move to the countryside and take up with the farm animals (at least for a while.) Miss Floom, the hotel landlady, now has nowhere to go-but Esme isn't about to leave her all alone. She brings her home and, I gather, practically adopts her as well, on the peaceful farm--a place to which she is infinitely better suited. From the ending I gather that she's now living either with or near Esme and Arthur, filling the role of the sort of daughter they never had (given how distant and disconnected the Hoggetts are from their own child in the first film, and what a wretched brat their granddaughter is.) Reading such things into the movie makes me appreciate it all the more; as different as it is from its predecessor, it enriches it a great deal. I have to say that Babe: Pig in the City is one of the finest sequels I've ever watched. I get new things out of it on every single viewing.
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