Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Wild Hogs

MPA Rating: PG-13-Rating (MPA) for crude and sexual content, and some violence.

Reviewed by: Cathy Sirmans
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults, Teens
Genre: Adventure, Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 45 min.
Year of Release: 2007
USA Release: March 2, 2007 (wide—3,000 theaters)
Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures Copyright, Touchstone Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Touchstone Pictures

Why are humans supposed to wear clothes? Answer

What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

Featuring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Tichina Arnold
Director Walt Becker, Jack Gill
Producer Sharla Sumpter Bridgett, Todd Lieberman, Amy Sayres
Distributor Distributor: Touchstone Pictures (a division of Disney). Trademark logo.Touchstone Pictures, a division of Walt Disney Studios

“Four guys from the suburbs hit the road… and the road hit back. A lot can happen on the road to nowhere.”

Here’s what the distributor says about their film: A group of frustrated middle-aged biker wannabes hit the open road in search of adventure, only to encounter a real Hell’s Angels group. Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy hit the road in this rollicking comedy-adventure about a group of middle-aged friends who decide to rev up their routine suburban lives with a freewheeling motorcycle trip. Taking a long dreamed-of breather from their stressful jobs and family responsibilities, they can’t wait to feel the freedom of the open road. When this mis-matched foursome, who have grown far more used to the couch than the saddle, set out for this once-in-a-lifetime experience—they encounter a world that holds far more than they ever bargained for. The trip begins to challenge their wits and their luck, especially during a chance run-in with the Del Fuegos, a real-life biker gang who are less than amused with their novice approach. As they go looking for adventure, they soon find that they’ve embarked on a journey they will never forget.”

“Wild Hogs” is an extremely funny movie, with a hilarious cast who know how to make the audience laugh. I enjoyed most of the humor very much. This movie did not have much of a plot. Four grown men wanted to escape the routine of normal everyday life and take a road trip where they encountered trouble and unfortunate events that made it difficult to make their way home. The well known actors do an outstanding job of playing the roles they were given.

The decision a Christian has to make in viewing this film is whether or not it is worth sacrificing an hour and 45 minutes of bad language, nudity, and crude sexual humor for an hour and 45 minutes of constant laughter.

Early in the movie there was a scene of complete disrespect for parental authority that made my skin crawl. Profanity was throughout the movie and about every other word at times. The words used were common profanity words, but were used fairly often. I did not hear the f-word used at all. There were several references to gay relationships and at times crude humor dealing with gay sex. There was one scene that showed 5 or 6 shots of rear male nudity. The humor at one point was all sexually related, but for the most part the humor was centered around other things. Toward the end of the movie there were several pictures of women in very small, thong, bikinis at the beach.

The sad thing to me about this movie is that it would have been just as funny without the language, sexual humor, and nudity. As a Christian, I was completely embarrassed at some points during the movie; on the other hand, at times I laughed until I cried. It is this type of movie that I believe Hollywood uses to soften our standards as Christians. This movie is a true test of a Christian’s tolerance of today’s secular world. It is very possible as a Christian, to sit through this movie and laugh hysterically while overlooking the inappropriate parts. The question is, is it worth it to allow these types of compromising behaviors to be embedded in our minds?

Violence: Moderate / Profanity: Moderate / Sex/Nudity: Moderate

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—As a viewer, I thought the movie was very funny. At times, I really laughed out loud, as did the rest of the theater. As a Christian, there were parts that you know were not necessary to add (the references to gay characteristics, the profanity…). However, this movie I would recommend. If you are well-grounded in the word and in your relationship with Christ, this movie will not affect you much.

Sure there are parts that ARE inapproriate, but we see worse in our daily lives. You will laugh at this movie and quite frankly enjoy it. But don’t watch secular movies if you spend more time doing that then spending time with the father. But if your well-grounded in the word… have a good time. This movie will not affect your walk with him.
My Ratings: Average / 3½
Amanda, age 22
Positive—I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. I was pleased to see some good ol' fashioned slapstick comedy that wasn’t cheesy. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.
My Ratings: Offensive / 3½
Robert Durocher, age 25
Positive—a must see, hilarious—perfect cast to pull it off.
My Ratings: Good / 5
Marieann, age 48
Positive—(most) Women won’t get it. This film is for all those men who have read Wild at Heart and felt moved by it’s message. They will understand what this is about. It is to do with men finding their manhood, loyalty and peace with who they are. Yes, there is nudity in the film. Yes, there is swearing and profanity. There is also men facing their fears, pains and mistakes and dealing with them. Men growing up and being men. This film carries a strong positive message that all men of today need to heed in a world that tries it’s best to emasculate and demean men. It deals with men stuff in a way men can relate to. Like guys urinating by the side of the road—also shown in this film. Yes, it is crude in some ways. But so are men—sometimes. In other ways it delves very deep into what men has to face in a world that today tries it very best to. It is also revealing to see that most of the negative reviewers of this film were women. And one of the two men who rated this film watched this film with his twelve year old daughter. This film does carry a PG-13-rating. Please people—the ratings are there for a reason. By the way, the rating should also read: no women under 25. Just kidding. Do not just judge this film as just a light comedy. But leave the small children and teenage daugters at home when you go to see it. This is primarily a film for the guys. Hey, if chicks can have chick flicks the guys can have guy flicks, too.
My Ratings: Average / 4
Lourens de Bruyn, age 41, South Africa
Neutral
Neutral—Good dollar movie to see. Not something I’ll ever watch again, but it has a few good laughs, and the Lord’s name is not taken in vain, as best as I can recall.
My Ratings: Average / 3
Jacob Keenum, age 21
Neutral—I found this movie very entertaining while I was watching. However, I have perhaps been immersed in the worldly culture too long, at no time did I entertain the thought of walking out; many of the sexual innuendos and crass language included were no worse then what I hear every day. As a result, I don’t take offense easily, but would have to agree with the other viewers that in retrospect it is probably not a movie I would recommend. This is perhaps a reminder that we have to be constantly on our guard against the world… something I obviously need to think about more!
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
Nicola, age 19
Neutral—On a recommendation from a friend, I saw the movie “Wild Hogs.” This had to be one of the flat-out funniest movies I have ever seen. I can’t remember one second of this 1 hour 40 minute film that didn’t have me howling with laughter. Tim Allen does his best work since “For Richer or Poorer.” John Travolta was funnier in this movie than in anything else I have seen him in. Rounding out the cast were Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Marisa Tomei, and, John C. McGinley.

As funny as this movie was, it contained some objectionable material, which is the only reason I can’t rate this movie any higher than a 4. Two things stick out in particular. First of all, there was a scene where the guys go skinny-dipping, and we see there naked butts about 1 or 2 times each. Also, one of the characters was a gay highway patrolman. While the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin, this movie treats it as a joke. There was also a fairly light amount of some relatively mild language. Not once did I hear the F-word or 'G.D.', which was a welcome change from most other PG-13 rated movies I’ve seen. If you can get past these objections, see this movie, and get ready to laugh until you hurt.
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
Jared, age 27
Negative
Negative—My husband and I went to see this film while we were visiting relatives, and we would have walked out, but we rode with them. We love Tim Allen and thought this would have been a family film, but it is not. We wished we would have checked it out like we do at home on Christian Spotlight. We did not think it was funny, and it was full of supposedly humorous gay sexual joking and nudity. Save your money and your time; this one is a loser!
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 2½
Brenda Dawson, age 53
Negative—I was so disappointed in this film. It had all the right ingredients to be very funny. However, I ended up walking out about half way through due to the constant use of sexual jokes, innuendos, and language. There were only about three gags in the first half of the film that were not sexually related in any way. It was ridiculous and it wasn’t all that funny. As I said, a big disappointment and quite offensive if you ask me. I wouldn’t recommend seeing this movie to anyone. In fact, I would warn them to avoid it; because, in my opinion, we, as Christians, shouldn’t be supporting Hollywood’s dirty jokes with our dollars. Do yourself a favor and stay home if there’s nothing else at the cinema that catches your eye.
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 3½
Dana, age 21
Negative—I went to see this film with my husband and thought the cast of actors would be funny; however, I found the gay sexual references and other crude humor to really take away from the humor. (overboard) I am not one to ever walk out of a movie, but we did halfway through! I think as Christians we have really become sapped into the secular view of what is humor, and we tend to sit back and view images and remarks without really a care. I know movies have questionable stuff in them, but this movie is beyound question (especially for the type of movie it was suppose to be) not funny!
My Ratings: Offensive / 3½
Tammy, age 34
Negative—For a movie of this type, it was well-made. Yes, it has times where you will laugh out loud probably. However, this movie is loaded with crude language and profanity—way too much for me to recommend it. Excessive. No “F” words, but really now, how many dozens of times do you want to hear the word A**hole? Also, it is immoral—“well, just because she’s married, it won’t stop Dudley from hitting on her.” Way too much implied homosexuality. This film has some funny spots, but is overall a very immoral story that spiritually produces a down feeling after viewing it. I felt badly that I laughed at some of the things in it and guilty that my husband and I had added to the box office earnings of this crude and rude romp. I cannot recommend this film to anyone, and I would urge you to avoid it. You will only feel badly afterward.
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
Maggie, age 59
Negative—What a huge disappointment! My husband and I left about 45 minutes into the movie. It took everything I had to make it that far and should have walked out sooner. This fiim is full of sexual filth, nudity (the backside of naked men), lots of foul language and gross homosexual humor to an extreme and repetitively. I would not recommend this movie to anyone.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 1½
Ada Moore, age 42
Negative—I went to this movie not knowing what to expect, and I try not to make a habit of doing so too often. I wish this had not been an exception. I strongly disagree with the previous commentator on the film who stated that if you are grounded in the word this film won’t have much affect on you. (paraphrased) 1 Corinthians 15 tells us that bad company corrupts good character, and that is true of not only friends but other influences that are put into one’s mind, such as music and movies. Right away there was so much cussing in this movie that I felt ashamed that I had come in to watch it, but I thought to overlook it just this one time, though later I would kick myself wondering what I would do if the youth of my Church group had seen me watching the movie. The movie made some rather disgusting jokes about homosexuality, and I shall not go into detail about it. I believe homosexuality is a sin, but it is certainly serious enough that it should be joked about, nor should such jesting about this sin be tolerated by Christians. Half way through the movie (particularly the part where the men are swimming) I decided that I could not stay any longer, and picked up my things and left to watch a more Christ-centered film, “Amazing Grace” (highly recommended).
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 3
Matthew, age 22
Negative—I was so excited to see this movie and hoped it would be a really fun outing. The swearing, and the constant infiltration of homosexual incidences were extremely offensive to me. To make it worse, there were 3 or 4 young children who had obviously been dropped off to see the movie. I was very uncomfortable knowing that they were exposed to this movie. Parents should always see a movie before they let their children see it if it is rated PG-13 or even PG. I walked out before the end. I was disappointed and disgusted.
My Ratings: Very Offensive / 3½
Ruth Rich, age 60
Negative—If you support Homosexuality
If you love to hear swear words every few moments.
If you enjoy seeing a Grown, Fat man up on stage dancing and singing like a male whore.
If you enjoy seeing Muscle bound Police Officer, coming on to corporate business men…
If you enjoy seeing allusions to homosexuality many, many times in a move…
Then this is definitely a movie you will love.
If you value Christian Beliefs
If you believe Man was created by God to mate with woman
If you believe in NOT using profanity
If you believe we should screen what we let our children watch
You will DEFINITELY NOT want to watch this movie.
Definitely Not let your children see it.
I would advise anyone to Definitely Steer Clear of This one!
Just a note to Tim Allen, and some of the other cast members…
Mr. Allen. You have really let me down on this one. I cannot believe you pulled a Brokeback Mountain on us.
I know you are just a man, just like me, but I have always respected you and your work.
My whole family loved watching you.
I am very sorry to say, I will never look at you again in the same light.
I will never again promote you, Tim Allen to my children or any of my friends and associates.
I really respected you, it really hurts to know you would align yourself with a movie such as this.
Martin, if you are reading this, I thought you were better than this.
John Travolta, I really liked you a lot, but no more.
I guess America is changing fast…
I must say, after what I am seeing on television, movies, and hearing in the news, if this movie is a reflection of what America is and is becoming…
I am ashamed to be an American.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 2
David, age 47
Negative—I took my daughter who’s 12 to the store where I selected this movie mainly on the record of Tim Allen’s prior roles in family-oriented movies and sitcoms. I was appalled to see major parts of this movie contains homosexual innuendos and outright references to sex between men. I had to fast-forward portions after beginning to hear the dialogue going on about this. I couldn’t skip some comments that were so blatantly and graphically sexual because they occurred without warning. The next day I looked at the DVD slip cover, and it states that this “hilarious” picture will be “enjoyed by the whole family.” What kind of family wants to hear about how sore a man is in the morning after having a night of homosexual activity or that a biker wants to chew on something or see men naked with each other??? Not my family! I’ll be frequenting your Web site before I walk naively into a video store. Thanks for the words to the wise.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 1
Andy, age 46
Negative—I purchased the DVD hoping that it would provide some fun down-time for my family since we are always on the go and very busy. We were looking forward to a Friday night of family entertainment by watching this movie. It started great… really funny. But as the movie was building its characters and showing the view why these guys were going out riding, there was one scene that was very disturbing. [***Spoiler***] In the restaurant scene where William H. Macy’s character was using his laptop, there was a blatant beastiality reference. He accidentially went to a porn site, and while it was funny that everyone was staring and he was trying to shut it off, you hear the expected moans, groans, ooohh, etc., from a porn film, but then you hear a horse and someone say, “Enjoy the animal.” Sickening! Why???? Why did these three words have to be in this movie??? Granted, it was quick, and if you were laughing or distracted by the scene you would have missed it. It is just sickening how a movie that was so funny and had such great actors would throw that in. It ruined the movie and made me sick to my stomach. I did not want to hear that. It is offensive to me as a Christian for such things to be joked about and made light of. Sure, you could overlook that scene and say overall it was a good movie. But how long are we as God-fearing Christians going to “overlook” this type of comedy? This movie only had the one reference, but the next one could have two, and then three, and before you know it… this type of offensive will be as common as bare breasts and the f-word is in every movie. Sickening.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 4
Mrs. KNS, age 38
Negative—As usual Hollyweird wants to desensitize us with their gay antics, nudity, and crude humor. Why do we need trashy humor and nudity to make us laugh? I, for one do not like Hollywood making that decision for me. For a PG-13 movie I was shocked. Wow, things are changing! Come on people, open your eyes! …I’d like to think I’m still young and kinda hip, but I am not a cow being led to slaughter.
My Ratings: Offensive / 4
Jeff, age 30
Negative—This movie was funny for about the 1st half, but the homosexuality almost made me barf. This tells you how bad one mistake can change the way a movie is.
My Ratings: Extremely Offensive / 2
Jonathan Tran, age 24
Comments from young people
Positive—This movie was an amazing piece of work; there was some profanity, so I wouldn’t take anyone under 13 to see it. I also would be careful who I recommended it to. The review you guys gave was on the spot. NOT a movie for the easily offended.
My Ratings: Average / 4½
Mamey, age 14
Positive—This movie was hilarious. I went with a friend, and it was better than I expected. …
My Ratings: Excellent! / 4½
Sarah, age 15
Positive—This movie was hilarious. I watched it and didn’t expect to be clean. I hear people saying that Tim Allen is a family comedian, you’re wrong. If you listen to his stand-up, it is littered with f-words, even used sexually. but I loved this movie, the people did a good job of keeping me laughing the whole time, some offensive material but good.
My Ratings: Average / 4½
Joshua Sullivan, age 13