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"When she was born, that's when things went wrong for us."
Traditional rich Maori culture is preserved marvellously with Whale Rider; this captivating slice of New Zealand filmmaking. Whale Rider was a complete surprise for me. Habitually, I had mistaken the film for some propaganda that promotes the ideologies of the Maori culture. On the contrary, Whale Rider was the farthest thing from my initial anticipations.
The film offers an exquisite glimpse of traditional Maori customs and traditions wrapped up in this touching, tear-jerking, moving drama.
Paikea Apirana (Castle-Hughes) is born into a Maori family that comes from a long line of tribal chiefs. Her father Porourangi (Curtis) is the first born son of the chief Koro (Paratene), a direct descendant of the original leader of the Maori tribe. Paikea was named after the original chief who arrived in New Zealand on the back of a whale - he was the whale rider. Koro naturally expected Porourangi to produce a son to continue carrying the long line. But Porourangi's wife dies during childbirth after she delivers twins. The boy twin dies, leaving the girl. Porourangi leaves New Zealand after naming his daughter Paikea much to the horror of his father.
The story then resumes eleven years later when we find Paikea living with her grandparents. Her grandfather Koro has no use for a girl as a grandchild and feels it would be infuriating to see a girl become chief. Paikea does not see it like this and yearns for the respect of her grandfather.
Whale Rider is a beautiful, poignant, moving tale rich in powerful themes and stunning performances. Keisha Castle-Hughes hits all the right notes in her debut performance. She became one of the youngest people ever to be nominated for an Oscar. And it was for Best Actress. She was up against people like Diane Keaton and Naomi Watts. She was favoured over the hundreds (probably thousands) of actresses working during 2002 and she's a young Maori who had never done acting before. Keisha's performance is guaranteed to make you cry. It doesn't matter if you're made of machine parts; your eyes will not be dry! Rawiri Paratene was another truly remarkable member of the cast. His character is quite despicable at times, but his performance was excellent. Cliff Curtis plays a very minor role. It's disappointing that he didn't surface more often. Despite his small screen time he certainly makes his mark for the scenes he features in.
I will admit that the strong accents present in every single cast member were a little distracting at times. As a matter of fact, I'm not a fan of the accent at all. And yet the actors never struck a false note. When the characters want to be likeable they certainly are. And for the characters we're not supposed to like, we don't. The chemistry was sometimes astoundingly brilliant. The obvious camaraderie of the cast shines like a new penny. Never was there a contrived moment of dialogue delivery. Everyone is engaging, and everyone contributes to the film's compelling nature.
Whale Rider is a stunning film that also showcases some gorgeous visual images. The landscape, the nature, the animals...they all look encouragingly dazzling. The film also triggered the thought of another New Zealand film - Once Were Warriors. Both productions address a different aspect of living in New Zealand, and both are filled with strong drama. Whale Rider is easier viewing of course and a lot less violent. This is made up with its dominant themes.
It came as no surprise that Whale Rider was nominated for so many awards, and walked away with a sleuth of wins. The film was a refreshing breath of fresh air in a year that boasted such a number of high profile releases. In a nutshell, Whale Rider is essential viewing.
9/10
