That's excellent Jim Volkert as the unnamed cop behind the wheel in "PIG."

The Story - "Always talk about somebody as if they are still in the room," says a fellow officer of the title character during an interview conducted by the filmmakers. The title character, cleverly unnamed (although there are suggestions), is followed through a few days on patrol. He does not limit the filmmakers and waxes philosophical about his experiences and tactics. We are introduced through interviews, really soliloquies, with people that have come in contact with the title character through his life and his tenure with the force. Non-traditional story-telling and realistic patrol and arrest scenes are displayed. Building foreboding through one ominous scene after another, we wonder who is cruising for a bruising.

The Review - My wife and I recently took a much needed trip to the beach. We drove down. On the way, I constantly kept a watchful eye in the rear view for the presence of ol' Smokey as my foot became heavier and heavier on the gas peddle. Almost near our final destination, the traffic slowed and I noticed an old pickup truck stopped with obvious engine trouble and a small man mightily trying to push the large vehicle from the road while my fellow travelers utilized their horns.

Almost out of nowhere appeared a police car passing the frustrated motorists on the shoulder of the road and making his way to the struggling small man. Out of the police car stepped a huge police officer who instructed the small man to get into his vehicle and steer. In mere moments, the officer pushed the pickup to a safe lot beside the busy roadway. The officer's hat remained perfectly atop his head the whole time.

Policemen are some of the most under appreciated people in our Country. For the pay, who would want to take the abuse they endure?

Specifically, law enforcement officers are hated almost universally, and if you aren't part of that small minority (prosecutors, fellow officers, and most judges), you don't trust them, you don't believe them, you don't like them, and you don't want them around. Of course, you are glad to see an officer of the law when you think you are in danger or in need of push.

Sometimes misunderstandings are taken too far.

Sadly, as in every profession, there are bad examples, its just that most bad examples in other jobs don't become front page news or worse captured by a bystander video camera and prime time exposes on every channel 24/7, rebroadcast forever in perpetuity on the Internet (don't you just love it).

For these reasons, there are bound to be people who find fault with "PIG" starting with its perfect, controversial title. When I was first contacted by Mr. Bosko, there was a buzz about in my mind, these guys made something called "Killer Nerd" and "Bride of the Killer Nerd." This film is called "PIG" and the trailer looks eerie and damned frightful. I mentioned it to my fellow co-workers, "its got to be about a rabid, killer cop."

Thankfully, I was wrong about "PIG." This is as different a horror story as you will ever see and it doesn't even fit into the horror genre. Its as shocking as "KIDS" in many ways, as interesting as "Cops" uncensored could be and shows how HBO's "Taxi Cab Confessions" could improve with more direction.

Still, there are things in "PIG" that could have been removed entirely or limited. Although it appears intentional, the editing is too jumpy in places (too many jumps). The quick cuts reduce the effectiveness of a special scene later with the title character spouting his philosophical rage. There are too many "Blue Velvet" close up nature shots; I liked them, but many viewers will be confused and even irritated. There is a scene in which the budget is stretched and more extras could have really helped (most people won't even notice). I think that there are other things but spoilers are trouble in this business.

Lots to like here though, solid introspective dialogue, great scene involving a billboard, tragic comic relief, and pacing akin to "Slingblade" complete with the same foreboding, ominous, pall over everything that keeps the audience on edge. "PIG" has more grit than a whole season of "NYPD Blue" an no soap opera wastes to weigh it down.

Lastly, I read something negative about the range of acting talents on display. That is not exactly fair to this particular style of movie-making. The actors are fresh and seem real, especially, scary-faced Jim Volkert as the title officer. They act like one would expect someone to act if a camera was thrust into their face and they were asked to tell the viewers something about someone or a group of persons (if this happens to you, maybe you should just ask them to remove the pickle and ride away on your motorcycle). Watch the interviews in "PIG" carefully, they hold the key to story being told, and serve us better than the often criticized closing scenes of "Blair Witch."

"PIG" is worth more than a second mortgage on my three bedroom home, and maybe, audiences blairwitched will cough up the dough and make it a success.

They're out there, watching everything you do and sometimes, that isn't such a bad thing.

Jonathan Hickman