Anthony's Film Review - Babe: Pig in the City (1998)

Here is a sequel that really surprised me with its heart...

After seeing Babe in 1995, I could not imagine a sequel for it. I mean, what else could a farm pig do? Years later, I heard that a sequel was being released. That's when I saw its subtitle: Pig in the City. Aha, I thought. That's what the sequel could do: put the pig in a new setting, away from the farm that has always been his home. Once I heard about that premise, I was eager to see the pig in action once again.

As you can easily imagine, there is much more that goes on in a city than on a farm. This is why going from the countryside to an urban landscape can be a real challenge, even more so for an animal. How does Babe end up in the city? Well, apparently, Farmer Arthur Hoggett (James Cromwell) has fallen ill, and it's up to his wife Esme (Magda Szubanski) to go into the city and do what she could to save the farm. However, circumstances cause Babe to be separated from his human caretaker.

The pig has various adventures from that point on. I won't really go into them. Instead, I shall talk about the other characters Babe eventually meets. The great thing about this sequel to Babe is that the pig encounters various new animals, particularly those not associated with farms, such as a family of monkeys. Like the first movie, special effects and lip-synching technology give these animals much realism, and certainly human-like qualities.

The climax of the movie is something I never expected. It's one characterized by lots of humor in a situation I had not expected Esme or the animals to get themselves involved in. It definitely generates laughs. The best part is that when it's over, you cannot help but smile and say, "What a beautiful movie this is." As the old saying goes, it's worth the price of admission.

Just by exceeding my expectations like that, I am applauding this movie. It manages to be funny and heartwarming and definitely doesn't repeat the first movie. This is one of those movies that you might dismiss thinking it's just a pretty good movie, especially if, like me, you couldn't imagine a sequel to Babe. Believe me. They really did a remarkable job with this film. It's a great choice for the whole family.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Babe: Pig in the City, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my review of Babe.