This reprehensible miniaturization of MEATBALLS (1979) is a junior league celebration of belching, breakin' wind, and breast-ogling. In other words, it's an opportunity for sexist dads to prepare their sons to be piggish grownups. Oink! Oink!
At Camp Kipperman, so-called losers like Andy (Graham Sack), nerdy Rodman (Olumiji Aina Olawumi), and smart-aleck Frank (Mike Damus), et al., are relegated to the most revolting cabin. While Andy and his Pig pals languish here, the stuck-up Wolves, led by wealthy brat Troy Beckerwood (Andrew
Harrison Leeds), rate comfy digs and preferential treatment from camp counselors. Initially, the Pigs tolerate abuse from their well-heeled rivals; Andy even steps aside when Troy puts the moves on camp beauty, Tiffany (Lisa Jakub).
One day, despite the Wolves' sabotage, Andy's unexpected expertise on water skis proves a turning point in the self-esteem of all Pigs. Fighting back, the camp pariahs revamp their sty, outdo the Wolves at the yearly panty raid, and become underdog figureheads. Unable to win fairly, Troy spray
paints his quarters with graffiti so that the falsely accused Pigs are booted out. Undaunted, the disgraced Pigs buck up their courage, return unofficially, and beat the Wolves in the summer's major Flag-Tag game. Due to Tiffany's finger-pointing at a paint-spattered, mendacious Troy, the Pigs
prove their innocence as well as their superiority to the deceptive Wolves.
What can the video spectator do, sitting there all lethargic and miserable as dirty tricks bombard the Camp Kipperman factions? First, the Pigs get latrine duty; then the Wolves get pelted with ice cream all over their pristine cabin, etc., etc. As if the ebb and flow of pre-teen revenge isn't
tedious enough, A PIG'S TALE throws in a ludicrous subplot involving wiseacre Frank's crush on a sexy teenage ghost who haunts the nearby woods! Yep, it's tumescence time for all rapidly developing boys who are presumably the target audience for this kind of offensive fare.
What's most appalling about this flick's feel-good air is the attitude that the schlemiels are justified in resorting to the same disgusting antics as the spoiled jocks. Do parents really want their kids brainwashed with this turnabout-is-fair-play garbage? Youngsters learn from this movie that
good manners are for sissies, that women are prizes in some never-ending male competition, that beating the other guy through subterfuge is okay if you're poor and he's privileged. Instead of worrying about installing V-chips to screen out soft-core porn, parents should be vigilant about this sort
of drivel that indoctrinates kids into the joys of adult competitive cruelty. (Profanity, violence.) leave a comment