Good concept, poorly executed.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Piggy is written and directed by Kieron Hawkes. It stars Martin Compston, Josh Herdman, Neil Maskell, Louise Dylan and Paul Anderson. Music is by Bill Ryder-Jones and cinematography by James Friend When his brother is killed by thugs, Joe (Compston) is persuaded to mete out vengeance by his brother's friend, Piggy (Anderson).Piggy, not exactly a great title really, is a good film, it really is. That is if one can skip back nearly 20 years and embrace the idea at its core all over again. We see it a lot these days, good films from the independent side of cinema shot down in flames by critics, both professional and amateur, because there is no originality on show. And even when a new twist is added to a staple genre, it stands no chance of gaining a weighty amount of critical support.Piggy is far from flawless, I would be surprised if writer and director Kieron Hawkes was on record as saying that is the case. It's a film that will always suffer by comparison to a couple of huge critical darling movies that came out of America and the UK previously. I will not mention them, because that pretty much spoils the core of Piggy, something so many amateur reviewers and message board posters fail to grasp. But I grumpily digress...Piggy is a violent picture, much like its lead protagonist in fact, but in amongst the blood and bone crunching, there's smart narrative splinters about alienation, fear of society, fear of violence and yes! Fear of finding the dark half of yourself taking over. So nothing new there of course, especially in British cinema during the gritty realism wave that has become something of a forte in my lifetime. But they are there and shows the film to have more to offer than merely being yet another London based stabathon.Cast are good, with Compston once again proving to be a very under rated actor capable of really tuning into the art of under playing a role with confusion and sincerity of conflicting emotions. Anderson is scary as the title character, if a touch too cartoonish, while Maskell shows no signs of wanting to break free of the hard-man typecasting that now defines his career. Friend's cinematography is sometimes guilty of being too murky, and the "metallic" colour lenses favoured on occasions are a mistake since it's not a sci-fi or neo-noir movie.Yet for all its inherent flaws and rawness, and the fact it owes its very being to other more lauded productions, Piggy should not be discounted as being a viable British slice of grit. The blood hounds are catered for, and those with a bent for the tints of emotionally damaged characters should definitely consider viewing this. It deserves better than its current internet rating and Kieron Hawkes, clearly a work in progress, might just be someone for British film fans to keep an eye on. 7/10

Films about revenge are many and not all of them has made it into the history books. Neither this, but still this deserves some attention.The shy boy Joe lives a somewhat meaningless life. He is an underachiever which re-finds a meaning of life when his older brother takes him up, and brings him into his group of friends. Everything seems a little more meaningful, until an innocent incident started by Joe later on is what's the reason for a gang killing off his brother in meaningless violence. The "Piggy" shows up on Joe's doorstep, and starts twisting his mind in a violent direction.This is the start of a gruesome vengeance and a turmoil of violence. This is a violent film, but well done. It's dark, brutal and horrific, and nothing to watch if you can't stand violence. the violence is not of the most graphic, but impossible to ignore. It difficult to watch, thanks to the sounds and techniques, but it easily haunts you after-wards.The film is slow paced, and made in beak colors, suitable for Joe's dull life. the film has some trouble with the pace, and leaves us bored when it shouldn't. This will be a problem for many. Joe is well played by Martin Compston and Paul Anderson is good as Piggy. Louise Dylan isn't top notch compared with the two others, and struggles acting believably, and should improve her method acting. Absolutely a film to use in a debate for reasons of violence, and once again a typical loner and weak guy, being picked up and processed and developed into a violent figure. There's always leaders and followers in these matters. is this convincing? well. Decide yourself.References made to "A Clockwork Orange" and "Fight club" is quite far off as a whole, though some scenes are inspired.

I first saw Piggy two days ago and, from what I had heard of the film, wasn't expecting much. Therefore I was surprised when I was almost instantly sucked into the life of Joe. I felt frustration mixed with sympathy as I quickly realised his life as a human doormat. This was just as quickly lost as Piggy was introduced, a mysterious, eccentric character who is eager to help Joe exact revenge on his brothers killers. From the very first violent and exhilarating fatality by the hand of Joe's new partner, the film became a fast-paced, bloody revenge thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat until the ultimate twist. Although a bit far fetched at times, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a good, fast, gritty British thriller.

It has been a while since I have paid to see a movie and felt that it was worth it afterwards.The plot is ingenuously written. The outcome is a familiar one but most likely not the one you predicted at the beginning of the movie, nor the one you adjusted the plot to at the middle of it.The actors deliver a solid performance. I feel it is hard to be an indifferent or distant spectator. You can easily build empathy towards the characters, especially with Joe.Overall I feel that perhaps a 7/10 for some may not be fairest rate. Therefore I am going to try to explain what 7/10 means to me: it is a solid movie, with an interesting plot, with enough deepness to allow getting caught up in it, good characters and good actors. It has its pertinence and entertainment value. It is worth seeing it. For me, it will not the most memorable movie nor will revolutionize movie history. It is simply a good flick.