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First of all, let me make it clear that this is not another "Free Willy" movie, as my boyfriend suggested it when we rented it. Yes, there are whales and people saving whales, sort of, but it is a movie more about people, a specific group of people: the Maoris. Set in New Zealand and the coastal village of Whangara, "Whale Rider" centers around a declining Maori tribe and the hopes of its tribe leader for a savior in the form of his new-born grandson (whom was "foreseen" by him as someone who would lead the people and turn the tribe around). The grandson, however, died in childbirth with his mother, leaving behind a twin sister and a grieving father. The girl is given the name of Pai by the father, after the legendary Paikea, the tribe's founding ancestor who, according to the legend, arrived in the village on a whale's back. The story thus follows the thirteen-year-old Pai, who grew up in the loving care of her grandparents despite the disappointment of her grandfather (at the death of her twin brother). As Pai puts it, he "changed his mind" about this little girl who survived but whom seems to him has no use to the tribe's future. However, she has some use to him after all for he loves his grandchild dearly. The relationship between Pai and her grandfather is the focus of the movie, so is the obsession of the grandfather/tribe leader to find someone who could lead his people. When his son comes back to visit from Europe, this obsession rekindles in his stubborn heart and he sets out to find this mythical "leader" among the boys in the village through training and teaching them the traditions of Maori warriors. Feeling excluded and hurt by her grandfather's dismissal, Pai determines to learn those traditions, which includes stick fighting, against her grandfather's wish.
"Whale Rider" is a movie as much about going against the grain as it is about loyalty and love. While it seems at first that the tribe's survival conflicts with a grandfather's love for his grandchild, in the end, it is the embracing of that love that brings hope to the tribe and connects its people. Although the movie is full of mythical symbolism, it never loses its touch with reality. Pai's desire to prove herself comes more from her love for the grandfather than from the belief that she is the real leader (although she is). There is no feminist preaching despite the fact that Pai is a girl trying to prove herself in a boys' world. Her motivation is simple: she wants her grandfather back. One also gets the sense that the grandfather does not discriminate because of gender but because of tradition when he dismisses the most talented boy in his training camp because he's broken the rules. In this movie, the conflicts are real and the love is deep, but its seriousness is cleverly balanced by its humour and charm. The problems of the Maori people are always there in the background, and the movie does a good job of portraying the Maori culture and values without glorifying or diminishing them. In a way, Pai's love for her grandfather can be extended to signify the Maori people's love for their culture, and like Pai who follows her heart and her destiny, the tribe's survival lies in its people's hearts to continue its culture and tradition.
8/10
