What’s It About
Hitpig is a pig hired by humans to bring back their escaped animals. It’s not easy, but it’s a living. His latest hit is Pickles, a naive but vivacious elephant who has escaped the clutches of an evil Vegas showman. Though Hitpig initially sets out to capture the perky pachyderm for big cash, the unlikely pair find themselves on an unexpected adventure criss-crossing the globe that brings out the best in both of them. Set in a futuristic cyberpunk world, Hitpig proves sometimes what we want isn’t what we need. From Pulitzer Prize-winning author Berkeley Breathed’s wild imagination comes an adventure about learning that sometimes what we want isn’t what we need.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
” Hitpig!” is another animated movie that is quite uninspiring and fails to offer something interesting to watch, thus being suitable only for very young children. The film is about a failed bounty hunter pig named Hitpig, voiced by Jason Sudeikis, who seeks to apprehend an elephant who loves to dance named Pickles, voiced by Lilly Singh. The plot starts with a rather black comedy scenario, which establishes how Hitpig, an outlaw pig, became an outlaw after his caretaker was killed by a crocodile, setting up a rather unpleasant tone for what is essentially a children’s cartoon. With no other way to make a living and having bested an animal rights activist named Leticia, Hitpig takes up a job from circus owner Leapin’ Lord, played by Rainn Wilson, to catch the elusive Pickles before she has a show to perform. Thereafter, it turns into a standard ‘Midnight Run’ type of movie where Hitpig tries to con Pickles into believing that she will be taken back to her family in India, while in reality, he intends to take her back to Las Vegas. During the course of their journey, the two characters develop a certain bond as they move from one rather unrealistic situation to another. The screenplay is rather uninspiring, and the film seems to have been written using a template that could have been used for a 1980s animated comedy. It tries to patch together a number of humorous gags, cultural allusions, and lines for fathers only. Another joke, which is based on a video game-loving kid, exposes the movie’s shallowness – a witty remark which in turn shows the movie’s capacity to divert the children’s interest. The voice actors try to breathe life into the content. Sudeikis brings power to Hitpik as Wilson chewed up scenery as a bizarre circus leader. Lily the Lion can be fun to play Pickle from time to time. Though never entirely memorable, the supporting cast, which includes big names like RuPaul, Hannah Gadsby, Flavor Flav, and Andy Serkis, feels more like stunt performers than visually meaningful contributions to the title. Hitpig!” It was disappointing. The animation looks unfinished and cheap. The character designs range from basic to completely uninteresting. The background suffers from a lot of negative space. Makes the movie look plain and no inspiration The film aims for a wonderfully cartoonish aesthetic, though. But it doesn’t meet the high standards set by modern animated films. The final scene reveals the creativity that can occur. When the villain tries to perform, he gives “the coolest performance of his life” by launching a crowd into space. During this time, the old methods of the film falls apart in a short period of time. It shows the sparks of an initiative that is frustratingly still developing. It feels more like a rushed production designed more as a potential business tool than an attempt at a realistic story. The limited theatrical release indicates the studio’s lack of confidence in the project, although kids will find momentary entertainment in the rousing antics. But the film raises more questions than answers when it comes to depth, creativity, or the charm that modern family animation provide. How did this idea get the green light? Does anyone see any potential in this that warrants A-list voice acting? When the 80-minute runtime ends, The audience will feel empty. It’s not a disappointment. But, there is a complete lack of meaningful participation. For families looking for animated entertainment, “Hitpig!” shows little effort. It’s a movie that exists but can hardly be proven to exist. It’s a mid-range entry into the ever-expanding landscape of children’s animation.
OUR RATING – A TWISTED TALE 4