Mahana is exactly what I thought it would be, a testament to New Zealand's cinematic triumphs. It boasted both great acting and a plot that was easily followed by anyone.
I loved the underlying Maori'ness of the story and the family dynamics the movie portrayed. There is always a head of the family who is string willed and stubborn. Temuera Morrisson truly came in to his own in his role as Grandfather Mahana, I was steadily reminded of his role as Jake The Muss in Once were warriors many years ago.
Simeon Mahana(Akuhata Keefe) was the picture of perfection for his role in this movie he brought such honesty to his character and a truly a breath of fresh air.
In turn Mahana was a splendid movie that drove my emotions from one end of the scale to the other I was truly engrossed in the film and every character seems to come alive through the great choices of casting.
