The Brothers Levitch’s “Swine” is a film that’s right up my alley. Told in three parts, “Swine” is a post apocalyptic steam punk Western that takes two warring groups of soldiers and pits them against each other in a wasteland void of human decency and nobility. This reminded me an awful lot of “Firefly” and in many respects it has that epic potential because “Swine” has a really good head on its shoulder with a creative vision that can make it a hit at festivals and garner an immense fan base. I sure as hell would follow this if it became a feature length film. In a world where all law has been abolished, there are two fronts on the battlefield.
Those who choose to align themselves with the wicked Northern Warlords, or tough it out on the land with Vox Populi, a partisan movement devoted to bringing down the warlords. One thing that captures the eyes of this apocalyptic fiction lover is that “Swine” is a well realized and fully complex war story that features a slew of interesting and appealing characters. This is mainly due to the attractive cast, all of whom bring something to the table and provide a side for the audience to root for. The direction is absolutely superb with much of this land painted in hues of brown and orange giving us a full view of the despair and uninhabitable land that this world has become over time.
It’s hard to believe this production was based only around five thousand dollars and some donations. With a cool half a million, “Swine” could be the next big indie science fiction epic with a story that can reach fans of the science fiction genre across the board. There are very little special effects at play here and what’s used is mostly cosmetic for the sake of making the land look desolate and barren. The rest is reliant on suspension of disbelief and some killer equipment that make up the casts costumes and fatigues.
As a fan of Joss Whedon, “Swine” reminded me a lot of science fiction love letter, a three part saga filled with so much possibilities for lore and mythos that it’d be a shame to watch this fade away. This current series was filmed in three chapters spanning forty three minutes and I was fully engrossed in what I was seeing from minute one. There is character drama and conflict and heavy emphasis on moral codes and shades of gray that audiences will love. I hope the folks behind “Swine” are able to get the funding for a feature length epic version because it’d be a shame to see such a creative property be forgotten. With a dazzling cast, attractive performers, and sharp writing, “Swine” is a science fiction epic waiting in the wings to surprise us.