IMDb 6.7 2018 HD

Dead Pigs

Dead Pigs

2018
Comedy Drama
122 min NR China
6.8 / 10
6.7 IMDB

A pig farmer, a busboy, a salon owner, an expat architect and a jaded rich girl cross paths as thousands of dead pigs float down the Yangtze River…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Maxine Zhang / Cathy Yan
Starring
Vivian Wu / Yang Haoyu / Li Meng / Mason Lee / David Rysdahl / Zazie Beetz / Archibald C. McColl IV / Wang Zhipeng

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

intriguing surreal thought-provoking character-driven social commentary environmental poignant dark humour uneven compelling

Reviews

C
Chloe Davies
Apr 9, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This is a film that dares to be different. 'Dead Pigs' uses its startling central image to kickstart a series of interconnected narratives that are both poignant and perceptive. The performances are a significant strength, grounding the more…

J
Julian Thorne
Apr 9, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Dead Pigs' presents a fascinating, if somewhat disjointed, exploration of contemporary life. The initial shock of the titular pigs quickly gives way to a mosaic of character studies, each grappling with their own personal crises against a backdrop…

I
Isabelle Moreau
Apr 9, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

What a remarkable debut. 'Dead Pigs' is a film of striking imagery and profound humanism. The director crafts a narrative that is both specific in its setting and universal in its themes of connection, aspiration, and the consequences…

M
Marcus Bellweather
Apr 9, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A curious and compelling piece, 'Dead Pigs' is more interested in its characters than its central mystery. The arrival of deceased swine on the Yangtze is a potent, if grim, visual metaphor for the environmental and social anxieties…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 9, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

This is a film that lingers long after the credits roll. 'Dead Pigs' uses a surreal, unsettling premise – thousands of dead pigs floating down a major river – to anchor a series of interconnected human stories. The…

FAQs

Absolutely. 'Dead Pigs' provides a nuanced, albeit fictionalised, glimpse into certain facets of modern Chinese society. It touches upon the rapid pace of development, the environmental consequences that can accompany progress, and the diverse lives of people navigating these changes. From the struggles of everyday workers to the perspectives of those in more privileged circles, the film uses its central premise to highlight societal shifts and the human condition within a rapidly evolving landscape.