 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Unstable Fables: 3 Pigs and a Baby
- Review Date: March 3, 2008
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2008
Common Sense Media says
Smart comedy flips the 3 pigs tale on its tail.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that, despite its grounding in a well-known fairy tale, this movie is so smartly written that it may be a little intense for the usual fairy tale audience. An adopted baby grows into a typically rebellious teen, with all the normal familial tension of that stage heightened by the real predator/prey relationship of this particular son and his three fathers. There is real suspense in whether Lucky will be true to his family, or to his natural instincts. But the entire movie is leavened with sharp, funny visual humor and dialog.
What's the story?
Told almost entirely in flashback, UNSTABLE FABLES: 3 PIGS AND A BABY flips the story of the 3 Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf on its head with smarts, humor, and a compelling plot. In this version, the wolves are regrouping after the tragic loss of Big Bad, and hatch a nefarious if slow-moving plan: they will imbed a baby wolf with the unsuspecting three pigs and, when the baby has grown up, will use him as an inside operative. What they fail to anticipate is the loving affection that the three adoptive dads have for their new son Lucky (voiced by Jesse McCartney), so strong that it allows them to completely overlook the fact that they are raising a natural predator. When Lucky hits his teen rebellion years, complete with a bad blue hair dye job and heavy metal music with lyrics like "Eat the pigs! Eat the Pigs," the Special Ops wolf force begin to woo him over with promises of acceptance and social stature (in the form of Teen Girl Wolf).
Is it any good?
The direct-to-DVD movie from The Jim Henson Company would work on visuals and comedic humor alone, but it hits it out of the park with its all-too-accurate reflection of the dynamics of raising teenagers. Scenes of Lucky and his best porcine friend, Hamlet, bemoaning their thick-skulled parents and the bullies at school make Lucky's flirtation with the dark side believable. Just as believable is the resolute optimism of Lucky's three very different pig parents, whose different approaches to parenting frustrate their son and each other.
The sidebar stories are just as funny as the main event, like the ongoing saga of the straw-house living surfer pig (Steve Zahn) and the effeminate wood-house living pig (Jon Cryer) and their efforts to motivate a bovine construction crew, which is constantly on lunch break because of their multiple stomachs. Other members of the departed Big Bad Wolf's crew include Wide Eyed Pacifist Wolf and Death Metal Wolf. Tweens, teens, and parents will be as amused by the sly verbal humor as the elementary set will be by the storyline and excellent animation.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the atypical family structure of Lucky and the three pigs. Do their differences –- not just in appearance, but inward characteristics –- make it easier or harder for them to get along? Hamlet and Lucky come together in trying circumstances and stay loyal friends. Do you have friends in your life like that?
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AGE
teen girl wolf give lucky a kiss
i love it beacause i love the teen wolf girl was giving lucky a flirt to lucky!oh my gosh!
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AGE
Funny Rendition of the Classic Tale The Three Little Pigs
I actually enjoyed this movie myself. I thought it brought a very comical twist on a childhood favorite and made it interesting for all ages.
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AGE
Lacks any form of redeeming quality, plus offensive stereotypes.
OK, I know (at least from the high rating of 5/5 given by the critic) that some of you might enjoy this film, but in my opinion I couldn't like it. Let alone at all. It's just lacking of any entertaining content, and it can get boring pretty fast. But, the other half I have to complain about is how it offensively portrays teens. The wolf baby turns 13 and 14 and is kind of a stereotype in terms of style and behavior. As a 13 year old, I feel appalled by this stereotype and the fact that the rest isn't worth it either. To make it worse, my 10 year old sibling watched the movie.
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| Topics: | horses and farm animals, wild animals |
| Studio: | Weinstein Co. |
| Director: | Howard E. Baker |
| Cast: | Brad Garrett, Jon Cryer, Steve Zahn |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 76 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | March 3, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | March 3, 2008 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | some mild rude humor |
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