Babe the pig (voiced beautifully by Elizabeth Daily) has returned to the farm with the Hoggetts. He has his great trophy for being the top sheep herder in tow. But, one unhappy day, he tries to help the farmer with a task, which ends with a severe injury to Farmer Hoggett (James Cromwell). The farmer is in traction, in bed. Now, Mrs. Hoggett (Magda Szubanski) is having a hard time keeping up with all of the tasks. On top of this, two bankers arrive and inform her that a big payment is due or they will lose the farm. Horrors! Remembering the offers that flooded in, if Babe would make an appearance, she and Babe set off for the "City" to earn money. All too soon they lose their chance to meet the first showing engagement and end up at a hostel for animals and their owners. Then, even more sadly, Babe is hognapped by a street performer (Mickey Rooney!) and his monkey showstoppers. Esme Hoggett is frantic to find Babe but ends up in trouble with the law. Babe descends into further depths when he accidentally sets a place on fire. Running away, he ends up on the street being chased by viscious dogs. Nearly drowning, Babe saves one of his tormentors. In return, this pitbull leads all sorts of alley cats and stray dogs back to the hostel, believing they will be safe. Think again, more perils await! Will Esme Hoggett and Babe ever get the money to save the farm? This second film about the loveable Babe is beautiful to watch, with fantastic sets and a great cast. Many animals performers delight as well. However, the story is dark with the "City" being a place where dangers lurk at every hour and every turn. For this reason, the littlest viewers might get a wee bit scared but older children and their families will be intrigued. Please note, Crowwell has a very small role and Szubanski is the human star! But, naturally, Babe the pig is the main attraction and she is the embodiement of all that is good and kind, a great example. Dear families, do visit with Babe a second time around.

First, I wish I could give this movie a zero, but one was the lowest score IMDb allows.

It isn't possible to create a sequel more unlike the original and as repellent as this one. It was so bad, both my kids insisted we leave mid-way through the picture.

So why is is SO bad?! Gone is all the originality and charm of the first movie. It's as if NONE of the people responsible for the first participated in this movie. Instead, the movie is dark and cruel. This is evident on many occasions but I will provide two examples: Babe's owner falling down a well and breaking almost every bone in his body in the opening sequence (wow--that's fun, kids!) and the inexplicable appearance of Mickey Rooney (who I guess is some sort of mentally impaired sociopath--I'm really not sure WHAT his cameo was all about anyway).

So my advice is watch and savor the original and THEN go into denial. Tell yourself they never did make a sequel. If this does not work, repeat as needed!

The original is a beautiful, heart-warming film, that enchanted me when I was little and still enchants me now. While slightly inferior, the sequel Babe:Pig in the City is very entertaining but noticeably darker, with some suitably heart-warming moments and really stunning visual design and cinematography(some of the best of its year actually for me). Yes, it's not perfect, but it is one of the better sequels to anything I've seen. The main merit would have to be the animals, the adorable Babe, the chimpanzees, the singing cats and my favourite the mice who stole every scene they were in. I also really liked Ferdinand, but if anything I wish he was in more of the film. The lip movements are excellent, and the animals are well voiced by the likes of EG.Daily, Miriam Margoyles, Hugo Heaving and James Cosmo. However, the human characters weren't quite as impressive- Mickey Roony is given very little to do and James Cromwell doesn't quite have the warmth he brought to the first film. The most impressive was Magda Szubanski, and some of the most priceless scenes of the film was with her. I liked the story, and the script in general, but what I liked most aside from the animals was the music, with Organ Symphony, Il Trovatore(there was a time when I didn't like the Anvil Chorus very much, but it's growing on me) and Non Je Ne Regrette Rien, where can you go wrong? Overall, not terrific, but very enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox