'Pig' Looks Like The Kind Of Film That Could Put Nicolas Cage Back On The Map

The story of a kidnapped truffle pig might be just what Cage needs for a comeback, or at least a swan song.

When I first heard that Nicolas Cage was in a movie called Pig I thought “Well that’s strange. People are actually talking about a Nicolas Cage movie!”

It’s not that Cage hasn’t been making movies. It’s just that nobody watches them. He’s fallen from mega-stardom to B-movie regular without the benefit of scandal that helped Mel Gibson down a similar path (though Gibson continues to direct excellent films).

Cage has starred in such gems as Willy’s Wonderland, about a janitor fighting an army of demonic animatronics, and Vengeance: A Love Story, a revenge flick that nabbed a smoking 28% at Rotten Tomatoes. He’s also hosted the History of Swear Words on Netflix and landed the role of the Tiger King himself, Joe Exotic, in the fictionalized adaptation of the mini docuseries.

But Pig looks damn good, surprisingly. Pig looks like John Wick but with a pig instead of a dog, and without all the guns. So not really all that much like John Wick, but with a similar otherworldly feel to it, and that whiff of violence. The menace positively oozes out of every scene.

And that pig is cute. I’d want my pig back also.

Cage plays Rob, a truffle forager who’s moved out into the wilderness of Oregon with his pig, who’s forced to return to Portland—and confront his past—as he searches for the lost pig.

Pig is directed by Michael Sarnoski (whose work I am not familiar with) and comes to theaters on July 16th.

It really does look like the kind of movie that can take someone like Cage—a fallen star, as it were—and pin him back up into Hollywood’s glittering canopy. Sure, nobody has taken Cage or his roles seriously in a very long time, but once upon a time he made movies like The Rock, Con Air and Leaving Las Vegas. The man can act. Maybe he can pull off a miracle comeback, also. Who can say? There’s only so much we can glean from a trailer. “Who took my pig?” Cage asks, somewhat ominously.

Weirdly enough, I really want to know.

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Despite its grim, adult tone and lack of magic or fantasy of any kind, I have to admit that the premise, at least, reminds me a bit of Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain.

In The Book Of Three, the first of these classic YA fantasies, Taran—an assistant pig-keeper and the young charge of the enchanter Dallben—sets out on his first quest once the pig he’s supposed to look after escapes. He follows the prophetic pig, Henwen, and is thrust into an epic adventure filled with precocious princesses, bumbling bards and fearsome foes.

If you haven’t read The Chronicles of Prydain, you really need to remedy that.¹ They are among my favorite YA fantasies of all time, with some of the best characters and most exciting stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. A wonderful, imaginative story steeped in Welsh mythology for both kids and grownups alike.

In any case, I enjoyed this trailer and I’m very curious how Pig turns out. What movies are you looking forward to in the coming weeks and months?

Let me know!

1. Sometimes I include affiliate links when I link back to book, movie or game recommendations and earn a very tiny share of anything you might buy.