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 Whale Rider (2003)Rated: PG-13 for brief language and a momentary drug reference. Runtime: 105 min. Director: Niki Caro Writer: Witi Ihimaera (novel); Niki Caro (screenplay) Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes...complete cast Genre: Drama/Family Tagline: One young girl dared to confront the past, change the present and determine the future. Memorable quote: "Don't mess around with things that are sacred"
Awards:
So goes the ancient legend as told in the 2002 book, Whale Rider by Maori author Witi Ihimaera. Before filming the movie of the same name, director Niki Caro took meticulous care to earn the respect of the Maori tribal elders. The payoff is huge as we experience a touching film of authentic tradition and natural beauty that features the New Zealand lanscape as a prominent character. Whale Rider begins with the death of a mother as she gives birth to a set of twins. Pai Apirana (Keisha Castle-Hughes) survives the delivery but her brother doesn't. Her brother would have grown up to be appointed as tribal chieftain, a role declined by the babies' father, Porourangi (Cliff Curtis). Although he eventually comes to begrudgingly cherish her, Pai's grandfather, and current tribal chief, Koro (Rawiri Paratene) immediately expresses more interest in his dead grandson than in his living granddaughter. "She is of no use to me" he exclaims as he also announces his displeasure of the fact that she will assume the name of Paikea, which is traditionally reserved for those first-born sons who will assume the crown. Saddened by the realization that the centuries-old tradition will end with him, Koro begins to recruit a potential leader from amongst the first-born boys living within the village. He schools them in the ways of the ceremonial dances and traditional warrior-like poses that include colorful face painting and sticking one's tongue out at opponents. Although Pai is forbidden to participate in the rituals, it doesn't stop her from secretly peeking in on the lessons and practicing her knowledge on the local village boys. Her grandfather, who briskly quips, "don't mess around with things that are sacred," ignores her obvious skill and discourages her interest in the ways of the Maori people. Although it becomes a bit predictable that Pai will overcome her cultural misgivings and eventually win over her grandfather's acceptance, this fairy-tale of a story is nonetheless one of the year's brightest gems in a season filled with otherwise lifeless sequels and overly explosive action thrillers. Paratene as Koro displays a convincing steely stubbornness that comes from being tribal elder yet in some strange way he manages to also convince us that he could be a favorite grandparent that we love to please. Vicky Haughton as Nanny, Pai's grandmother, is equally good. She doesn't always agree with her husband, yet despite his intimidating external facade, she isn't afraid to let him know about it. But the heart of the story, and the personality that brings to life this magical fantasy is Keisha Castle-Hughes. Despite the fact that her portrayal of Pai is her first role, this Native New Zealander, much like Everlyn Sampi in Rabbit Proof Fence, has that special indescribable screen presence and remarkable raw talent that don't come around very often. Although she can speak volumes without saying a word, her heartbreaking monologue during the school recital scene comes from a place that many actors spend a lifetime searching for. Yet Castle-Hughes nails it in her debut performance. This is the kind of stuff that you store in your memory banks, to always pull from when people ask about your most memorable movie scene. She is that good. What begins as a disturbing account of a culture that perpetuates gender based inequality, Whale Rider smoothly and seamlessly transforms into a magical fantasy of female enlightenment. Although the tale's origins come from a distant culture, the lessons learned in Whale Rider transcend the Maori people, and even the nation of New Zealand for that matter. The movie shatters the idea that leadership and empowerment come from gender, stature or birth rite. Whale Rider instills faith that what we become in life comes from within. Frank Wilkins Read and Post comments about Whale Rider here Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1. Subtitles: English, Spanish Closed Captioned. Extra Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; director's full-length commentary - covers topics such as casting, traditions of Maori culture and stories from the set; trailer; TV spots; canoe featurette - covers how they built the canoe; behind-the-scenes featurette - 27-minute "making of" documentary includes interviews of novelist Witi Ihimaera and director Niki Caro and cast members including Keisha Castle-Hughes; deleted scenes - 8 deleted scenes with commentary from director and editor; soundtrack showcase; art and photo gallery. return to top
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