The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon

The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon

Year: 2023

Runtime: 134 mins

Language: Chinese

Director: Wong Ching-Po

Echo Score: 77
ThrillerCrimeDrama

The arrogant, third most-wanted criminal in Taiwan, decides to get rid of the top two competitors and crowns himself the most-wanted criminal before dying.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Taiwan, Taichung, Penghu

The story unfolds across Taiwan, with pivotal scenes in Taichung city and the Penghu island commune. It juxtaposes a city funeral setting with remote island cult environments, highlighting a society fractured by crime and hidden networks. Key locations include a Taichung hair salon and the Penghu-based New Soul Society, underscoring a contrast between urban and insular spaces.

🏞️ Taiwan 🏙️ Taichung 🏝️ Penghu

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:50

Main Characters – The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023)

Meet the key characters of The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Chen Kui-lin (Ethan Juan)

A notorious Taiwanese hitman who infiltrates a funeral, loses an eye in a confrontation, and dedicates himself to eradicating two major criminals before his death. His arc moves from cold-blooded vigilante to a weary, introspective seeker of meaning as a cancer diagnosis upends his worldview. Ultimately, he surrenders to the authorities, accepting the consequences of a violent life while clinging to a personal code.

🗡️ Assassin 🧭 Redemption ⚖️ Consequences

Hsiao-mei (Gingle Wang)

Salon owner who is manipulated by Hongkie and used as a pawn in his schemes. She survives the violence and becomes a key stabilizing presence for Kui-lin, offering a fragile beacon of humanity amid chaos. Her resilience highlights the collateral damage inflicted on ordinary people by crime lord networks.

💇‍♀️ Salon Owner 💔 Victim

Hongkie (Ben Yuen)

A powerful gang boss who orchestrates crime from the shadows and exerts control over Hsiao-mei and others. His brutality and cunning pose a formidable obstacle to Kui-lin, and his downfall marks a turning point in the protagonist’s pursuit of vengeance.

🏴‍☠️ Crime Boss ⚖️ Ruthlessness

Bullhead (Lin Lu-ho) (Chen Yi-wen)

The enigmatic cult leader whose true identity and grand design drive the New Soul Society plot. Appearing to be a spiritual guide, he manipulates followers and shapes the cult’s operations, ultimately revealing himself as the villain behind much of the conflict. His pseudo-messianic persona fuels Kui-lin’s quest for truth and justice.

🧭 Cult Leader 🤫 Deception

Chen Hui (Hao-Tse Tseng)

Police detective who surveils the funeral and pursues Kui-lin throughout the film. He becomes the final authority Kui-lin turns himself in to, representing law and order in a world consumed by vengeance and cult power.

🕵️ Detective ⚖️ Justice

Dr. Chang

An underworld doctor who informs Kui-lin of a terminal cancer diagnosis and later reveals a misleading medical ruse. Her revelation catalyzes Kui-lin’s moral crisis and ultimately reframes the story’s commentary on manipulation, truth, and the illusion of control.

🩺 Doctor 💔 Deception

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:50

Major Themes – The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023)

Explore the central themes of The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon (2023), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗡️ Revenge

Kui-lin’s quest to eliminate Hongkie and Bullhead drives the narrative, anchoring the film in a cycle of violence. The pursuit is methodical, fueled by a desire for closure and justice outside the official system. As the body count rises, the costs of vengeance become clear, revealing how revenge corrodes the self and distorts everything around it.

🧭 Identity

The rise and fall of Bullhead exposes how identity is manufactured within a cult system, and how individuals are interchangeable within a regime of control. Kui-lin’s own self-conception shifts—from cold killer to weary seeker—as he moves through prisons, cults, and covert operations. The story probes what remains of a person when their past actions redefine who they are.

🕯️ Redemption

Contrasting with his violent origins, Kui-lin seeks a final, personal salvation by confronting his enemies and turning himself in. The twist with Dr. Chang challenges any simple redemption, showing that mercy and truth can be manipulated. The ending suggests peace can be found through accountability, even at the cost of life itself.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 09:50

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Movies about urgent redemption like The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon

Characters racing against a terminal clock to find meaning through desperate, often violent, acts.If you liked The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon, you'll appreciate these movies where a protagonist's terminal diagnosis forces a frantic and violent quest for meaning. These films share a dark tone, high intensity, and a bittersweet or bleak ending feel, exploring what a person does with their final days.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a linear, goal-oriented path driven by a protagonist's fatal diagnosis. This external deadline creates immense urgency, compressing a lifetime of ambition or atonement into a short, violent burst of activity. The narrative conflict often pits the character's desire for a meaningful end against the harsh realities of their world, leading to a final, fatalistic resolution.

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These films are grouped by their core premise of a 'deadline-driven' life. They share a specific emotional mix: the desperation of limited time, the brutality of the chosen path, and the somber reflection on a life lived violently. The pacing is fast and urgent, mirroring the protagonist's race against death.

Gritty crime thrillers about underworld ambition like The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon

Gritty, no-nonsense tales of ambition and violence as characters fight to the top of a criminal hierarchy.Fans of The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon will enjoy these movies about violent ambition within the criminal underworld. These similar stories feature a fast pace, high intensity, and a dark, gritty tone, following antiheroes as they brutally compete for power and notoriety.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a driven, often arrogant protagonist targeting those above them in a criminal pecking order. The story is a series of escalating, violent confrontations and strategic maneuvers. The central conflict is the character's ambition versus the established power structure, often exploring the hollow nature of the victory and the violent legacy left behind.

Why These Movies?

Movies in this thread are united by their focus on the brutal mechanics of gaining power in a criminal world. They share a specific vibe: gritty realism, a no-nonsense approach to violence, and a dark perspective on ambition. The pacing is consistently fast, driven by action and the protagonist's singular focus.

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The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon Summary

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The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon Summary

The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon Timeline

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The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon Timeline

The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About The Pig, the Snake and the Pigeon

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