Pig Hill

Trying to get by in life, a woman is thrust into a strange mystery when a client presents evidence that a local legend involves half-human, half-pig hybrids terrorizing the community, and she sets out to find them, eventually bringing her into contact with the deadly truth behind it.

This was an intriguing if somewhat flawed genre effort. Among the better aspects to be had here involves the simple and wholly promising storyline that sets this one in motion in quite an attention-grabbing manner. The central setup about the location being quite famous in local circles as the source of rumors detailing the existence of the Pigmen creatures kidnapping and impregnating women to carry their hybrid children, which the rest of the town is aware of but doesn't properly believe, is a great way to get this one started. With the rumors spreading to her about the pig people helping to reinforce the book about the experiences that she's writing, it all helps to come together incredibly well to generate a strong starting point for the action to come. That leads really nicely into the different interactions with the monstrous creature in the farmhouse, where everything comes to a head. Utilizing the idea of the savageness of their attacks to hide their brutal tormenting and sexual exploitation of victims by keeping them in cages, forcing them to wear rags for clothing, and the constant need for the sexual humiliation to take place, these scenes are immensely brutal and graphic in their depictions rather than the actual content of the attack. The whole thing is presented with such a frenzied energy and hallucinatory visual style that it's made all the more potent with the final reveal taken in the end, which offers up the kind of likable factors here that give this a lot to like. There are some big problems to be had with this one. He main issue is a wholly bizarre and confusing final half that makes for one of the most underwhelming and unnecessary left-turn twists that a film didn't need. The revelation about the source of the pig creatures not only makes the whole thing feel far too redundant and turns a lot of the preceding moments into a questionable series of actions, but it also drastically reduces the point of the film, trying to justify such a reveal. That is especially with how it contradicts points or goes through such a drastic amount of rewriting to get that segment to tie into the first half. It also struggles with the same thing the first half dealt with in a disjointed and sluggish pacing, taking far too long to get going, as the dragged-out explanation makes it stutter to a predictable finish. Overall, these all bring it down the most.

Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Language and Graphic Violence.

This was a film that I got the chance to see via screener thanks to Keir from Strike Media. This was playing at FrightFest, which added to my intrigue. Knowing that this was a 2025 horror film was something else that contributed. I did see that this starred Shiloh Fernandez as well. Other than that, I came blind.

Synopsis: Carrie (Rainey Qualley) has been fascinated by the local legend of the pig people of Pig Hill, revolting creatures who breed and cause havoc in the area. As the tenth woman goes missing, Carrie can't stop thinking that there could be more to the stories.

We start this with a cold open. A couple stops on Pig Hill. The male is not from the area and Emily Barton (Emma Kotos) brings up the pig people. He doesn't know about the lore. He then gets out of the car looking for his buddy. These two are then attacked by a pig person.

Carrie (Rainey Qualley) then narrates the backstory. She's writing a book about the people of the hill and the ten missing women, Emily being the most recent. Her brother, Chris (Fernandez), initially joked about the lore when they were growing up, but it became her obsession. She's married to his estranged business partner and best friend.

Now Carrie works in a local bookstore. It is here she meets Andy (Shane West). He's dealing with his own issues, having been living in New York City and returned recently. His mother isn't well so he's here to help his father. Carrie and he hit it off though, getting a drink together. This upsets Chris. It doesn't help that Carrie's husband kills himself and Andy shows up to the funeral. Chris is overprotective, even lashing out at a homeless man she is friends with named Reggie (Jeff Monahan).

Things get turned upside down for Carrie. She works at a homeless shelter overnight. It is there she meets Paula (Isabella Brenza). She is pregnant and asks for Carrie's help. She wants to abort it. Carrie points out that she's too far along. She takes matters into her own hands, claiming the father is a pig person. Carrie sees the baby who looks to have pig features. What happens next rattles her to her core.

Andy and Carrie get closer, much to the displeasure of Chris. The couple go up to Pig Hill to see if they can find Paula's father Red (R. A. Mihailoff). Instead, they run into Giovanni Vendetti (Dino Tripodis), who gives more insight into the pig people lore. Carrie has been seeing a pig person stalking her. After Andy drops her off at home, Carrie is taken and plunges into a nightmare that will change her forever, as she discovers the truth of the local legends.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is that this film went to some places that I wasn't fully expecting. I'd say that is both good and bad. To start with the positives, I love the idea that there could be this weird hybrid of pig people living in the wilds on this hill. No one wants to talk about it. It sounds farfetched. There is more going on here under the surface. I also love playing with the expectations of generational trauma.

Then to develop this more without going into spoilers. Similar to The Hills Have Eyes or The Offspring, this story features pig-like creatures who kidnap women. This seems in part for procreation, but also for pleasure with things we learn. The plot further explores elements reminiscent of the "Satanic Panic" era, revealing cult-like activities that are heartbreaking and explanatory, yet inexcusable. That is where I want to leave these ideas.

Now something else that I like is Carrie wanting to write a book. She doesn't fully believe there are pig people. The extent that she does is that she can't disprove the theory yet. She's more intrigued by the unexplained disappearances. With things that she experiences, she starts to believe the legends are real. There were little interesting things along the journey that made me sit up so credit for that.

That should be enough for the story to transition over to the acting performances. Qualley delivers a strong performance as the determined lead, believably navigating trauma to uncover the truth. I was pleasantly surprised by West's snarky role, an actor I'm a fan of. My only issue is Fernandez, who, while not a bad actor, plays an overbearing character I dislike. The supporting cast effectively rounds out the film with credit to Kotos, Mihailoff, Olivia Allen, Brenza and Monahan.

All that is left when would be the filmmaking aspects. I have to first give credit to the practical effects. This goes brutal and I appreciate that. My guess is that if there is CGI, it was blended well so credit there. This has tough subject matter with things that we see as well. I will say that the cinematography and framing are good to not only capture the area where it is set up, giving that small town feel. It also helps with the realism of the effects. Other than that, the sound design adds to the atmosphere. The musical selections also work.

In conclusion, this delivers a unique and disturbing horror experience. While its narrative takes some unexpected turns, the film excels in its portrayal of the unsettling pig people lore and the exploration of generational trauma. Strong performances, particularly from Qualley and West, and effective practical effects further elevate the viewing experience. Despite minor character gripes, the filmmaking aspects effectively build a tense and atmospheric small-town horror.

My Rating: 7 out of 10.