Piglady

That was my response at the end of this movie.

"WHAT?!"

I watched this entire 1hr and 39 minutes of crap because there were only a few reviews. The majority were glowingly positive, and yet it had a rating of 2.9. This meant a lot more people needed to leave some actual reviews, as this was obviously not fairly rated "10" alongside the greatest films of all time. So I hope you appreciate that I managed to sit through the whole thing, when honestly my opinion within the first 10 minutes never changed.

Had the filmmakers chosen to attempt a retelling of the true story this movie was "based" upon, it might've been better. However, they chose instead to spend horrendous amounts of time helping us get to know the people who are going to eventually meet the title character...instead of letting us in on the Piglady herself-the one person who is actually interesting. No, of the 1hr and 39 minutes, about 1hr and 25 minutes is spent listening to boring, interminable, dumb conversations between really unlikeable and annoying people.

The acting is below awful, the script puerile and direction seems to be distracted by grandeurs of another movie. The photography is either too dark or too fuzzy and the only positive thing I can say about it to give it a 2 is that the special effects weren't bad for a movie this awful.

And if you actually make it to the end, you'll understand my reaction. Because it's just suddenly...and??? If you love true crime stories, stay far away because there are NO explanations or endings.

Believe the low rating over the "10" reviews. I'm certain there were an awful lot of people too exhausted by disgust to do more than give it a rating and move on with their lives.

Me and my friend watched this film together in late 2023, and we still speak about it now, a year later. It is so bad that I can't forget it. The acting is terrible and the plot makes almost no sense. It's the most generic spree/serial killer plot of a horror movie, but amped up with... pigs?

My favourite part of the entire movie, however, is the fact that this town seems to have two police officers, and BOTH of them are wearing sheriff jackets. Every single time I remember this I laugh out loud. One of those horror films that just does not pay attention to the small details, and hopes it can win you over with the gore- which is just... not great either.

You gotta give credit to anyone out there expressing their form of art! I'm always stoked to see and support go getters! It takes courage and a lot of blood, sweat and tears to bring a production of any kind to life. Way to go! It was very entertaining! I liked the characters and thought it was a good balance of personalities sprinkled with funny one liners, yet startling and jumpy at times. The scenery is beautifully shot and the fact it's close to the actual property where the murders took place is really cool. And the pigs! I don't how they pulled that one off but I'm a big fan of pigs regardless if they eat humans or not! I've watched it twice so far!

The "Piglady" in this film, is based on convicted killer Susan Monica, who killed two of her farm hands on her farm in Oregon...and fed them to her pigs.

In at least one of the cases...she claimed that her pigs had attacked one of the men...and, having disemboweled him...she shot him to ease his suffering.

Though, she also stated that she did not value human life.

And expressed that she liked animals more than she did people.

This film boasts being based on this story.

And is, apparently, shot on the actual farm where the murders took place.

It is, however, of the homemade horror type quality.

And takes the story on which it is based...and turns it into a slasher.

With the Piglady's targets being a group of young Californian adults, who have gone to the cabin of one of their parents for Christmas.

Which just so happens to be on the property next to the Piglady.

Who holds a grudge against them, because the father of the one guy keeps trying to buy her land off her.

Which she is adamant...is not for sale.

Unfortunately, their attempt to spin the slasher angle in with the "based on a true story" bit just doesn't work.

They just don't meld well together...and, as such, it comes off incredibly forced.

Not to mention...the pigs come off as having almost supernatural abilities.

Which requires an absolute suspension of disbelief, to come off anything less than absurd.

There's also way too much of a focus on character development.

With the horror seeming to play second fiddle to it.

There are actually some decent special effects though...in the parts that are more horror oriented.

But the writing is lackluster.

And the acting is pretty mediocre.

So it never really goes beyond being mid.

And even then...it's on the lower side of that spectrum.

It's not overtly horrible, or unwatchable, though.

Just relatively forgettable.

Anyone familiar with Gravitas releases will have come to expect this going in, however.

So it's not really surprising.

But it's quite obvious all the other early reviewers of this film are paid shills.

Because they are rating this way too high.

In my honest opinion...it ranks about a 2 out of 10.

Key points:

Based on a true story. Filmed where the murders happened.

Original take on the slasher genre. First movie I've seen with female villain and first with pigs being used on command.

Some flaws in the script and acting. No major plot holes. Leaves a lot of questions.

Overall, an entertaining and suspenseful film.

Piglady is a 2023 horror film about a group of friends who go on a Christmas vacation to a remote cabin in Oregon. They soon discover that the area is haunted / stalked by a mysterious woman (ambiguous gender) who is said to have killed and mutilated several people. The film is "loosely" based on the true story of Susan Monica, a woman who was convicted of murdering four people in Oregon in the early 2010's.

Piglady is an original take on the slasher genre. The film does not only rely on jump scares or gore to scare its audience. Instead, it creates a sense of suspense and dread by building tension and atmosphere. The film is also notable for its strong female characters. The lead characters are all women who are strong, independent, and resourceful.

However, the film is not without its flaws. The script is a bit uneven, and some of the acting is subpar. The film also drags in a few places. Overall, Piglady is an entertaining and suspenseful film, but it is not without its flaws.

Strengths:

Original take on the slasher genre.

Strong female characters.

Suspenseful and atmospheric.

True story filmed on the location.

Fantastic special effects / props

Weaknesses:

Uneven script.

Some subpar acting.

Slow pacing in a few places.

Overall:

Piglady is a flawed film, but it is also an entertaining and suspenseful one. Fans of the slasher genre will likely enjoy the film, but it may not be for everyone. I would recommend the film to fans of the genre who are looking for something a bit different.

I give it a 6/10 but rated it higher because it has a unique charm about it. It's quite funny in spots. And it's a directorial debut and all things considered it produced quite well considering it was a crowdfunded moving raising my rating to a 8/10

It's a fun movie produced with a low budget and considering the coordination required to make a movie and doing so at night with real pigs, I have to give it props.