Selvaggi in fuga

Oak Cliff Film Festival 2016 Greetings again from the darkness. It just doesn't seem very many movies are designed to be funny to a wide range of viewers. There are raunchy comedies for taboo lovers. There are comedies for young kids. There are even Nicolas Cage movies for unintentional laughs. But writer/director Taika Waititi actually delivers a thoroughly entertaining movie that will generate laughs across multiple generations … it's quite simply, a fun time at the theatre.

It's based on the 1986 book "Wild Pork and Watercress" by Barry Crump, who himself is a bit of a legendary figure in New Zealand. The film begins with Child Protective Services (or whatever it's called in New Zealand) dropping off 12 year old Ricky Baker to his new foster family. Paula, the CPS agent, considers Ricky a lost cause and describes him as "a very bad egg" as she rattles off his list of previous rebellions to new foster mom Bella, who takes note of Ricky's heft with a couple of wisecracks – delivered with a well-meaning smile.

In a terrific screen introduction, "Uncle" Hec slowly comes into frame flashing a world class scowl and a wild boar slung over his shoulder. Ricky continues his habit of running away at night, but Bella slowly wins him over with her kindness, understanding and breakfast offerings. A tragic occurrence and fear of being shipped back to the juvenile center, has Ricky disappearing into the New Zealand bush. Soon enough Hec catches up and the two begin a relationship that is the core of the film.

Rima Te Wiata plays Bella as a perpetually optimistic woman with a sincere drive to help Ricky adjust and find some joy in life. Sam Neill plays Hec in full grumpy curmudgeon mode … a nice compliment to the extraordinary presence of Julian Dennison (Paper Planes) as Ricky. Ricky and Hec together are a hoot to watch. It's not simply the generational differences, but also a clash of one man who wants little more than to be left alone and a young boy who wants little more than to be noticed and cared about. It's not so much the direction of their relationship that surprises, but rather the manner in which it develops.

Director Waititi's next film is Thor: Ragnarok, so this makes us appreciate even more his pleasant little indie film that features not just colorful and interesting characters, but the beautiful landscape of the New Zealand bush … much of which we see during the humorous manhunt for Hec and Ricky. It's a farcical comedy with a dose of profundity and loads of adventure for two social misfits. Rachel House is pretty funny as the obsessed CPS worker, and Rhys Darby ("Flight of the Conchords") is downright hilarious as Psycho Sam. Watching criminial-wannabe Ricky literally count off his Haiku, leaves little doubt as to why this one has been such an "audience favorite" at multiple film festivals.

New Wes Anderson?/ Live action Pixar's Up?/ Herzog road trip flick?/

All these things and more/ Hunt for the Wilderpeople/ Is one of a kind/

Taika Waititi/ Blends Conchords' quirky humour/ With blunt honesty/

It's an oft-told plot/ Here, stripped of (most) cliché, and/ Adorably sharp/

No adoption tale/ Treats its heartwarming heartbreak/ With such frank sweetness/

In Waititi's world/ Rude haikus voice real trauma/ Death is nonchalant/

He finds poignant joy/ In the saddest images/ Peace in a barn fire/

But lost in the woods/ With a brave dog named Tupac/ Old man and boy heal/

Learning life lessons/ In New Zealand's lush splendour/ As they hide their poop/

Good ol' grumps Sam Neill/ And Julian Dennison/ Are pricelessly cute/

Wry, no-nonsense laughs/ Battling boar and Rachel House/ Gleeful cartoon foe/

As the pace ramps up/ Tender character beats meet/ Thelma and Louise/

And a denouement/ So crisply wholesome there'll be/ Something in your eye/

A tiny triumph/ Mighty but unpretentious/ With humongous charm/

One of the year's best/ Don't miss these Wilderpeople/ The skux life chose you!

-9/10

This movie is really good - I have to say I enjoyed it and would probably see it again.

A far more developed example of what Waititi can do as a director and storyteller; the film has examples of pathos, comedy, action, drama, art film, satire, good cinematography and even a few decent VFX shots. His last film, vampire mockumentary "What We Do in the Shadows" was a lot of fun but also a narrative disappointment, despite NZ media committing to expose the film and help generate sales. Something of a misguided indulgence, "Shadows" made the mistake of letting three or four (very) minor indie celebs improvise in digital for many, many hours, then the director tried to create a concrete whole in editing and post. Didn't work. Great intro though.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople focuses on the life of Ricky Baker - a young, overweight, orphaned juvenile offender that idealizes hip hop and creates haiku poetry as a method of externalizing emotional conflict, due to the influence of counseling and therapy sessions. Stuck in New Zealand's sub-par youth welfare system (known for endless governmental restructuring with little or no substantive improvement), Ricky ends up on a rotting farm somewhere in the rural back blocks with foster parents.

The film clearly shows elements of the barren, social realist film of early 80s NZ, but with bigger, better cinematography, and Waititi's indie sense of the quirky and offbeat. "Quirky" can become a meaningless attribution in today's market of indie features where anybody and everybody can have a go at being "quirky" to make up for budget and spectacle, but this film also has real nuance and character development, and a quality cast that seem to get the idea of being a bit "quirky" and "meta" without forgetting that emotional investment is what an audience really needs to feel involved with the story. Rachel House is hilarious. So's the director in an excellent cameo.

Some of the early scenes don't read as naturally as they could, and also Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne's mother in the film is referred to but is never actually seen for unknown reasons. In addition, New Zealanders might complain about the films location improbabilities, but that's been standard practice in US features for years. Cool movie!! Go see it!!

While 'The Hunt For The Wilderpeople (2016)' is suitably quirky, slightly absurdist and extremely funny (refreshingly so), it only packs as much punch as it does because it is surprisingly emotionally resonant. Its endearing and relatively realistic central relationship thankfully always comes first. The film is just an entertaining time throughout, an eclectic amalgamation of farcical comedy and character growth, and it's an incredibly unique experience that never takes the easy or expected route, in terms of neither its plot nor its laughs. This makes every weird, oddly cohesive moment all the sweeter, especially when it collates into an end result as fantastic as it is. 8/10

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a New Zealand film starring Sam Neill and directed by Taika Waititi (Eagle vs. Shark, 'Boy' the Movie, and Thor: Ragnarok). Based on the book "Wild Pork and Watercress" by Barry Crump, its unique charm and humour boost the appeal of what would have been an otherwise generic bonding story.

Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a juvenile delinquent, goes on the run from child protective services in the New Zealand bush. Reluctantly joining Ricky is his surly foster uncle Hector (Sam Neill), who is forced to bond with his nephew while trying to find ways for them to survive in the wilderness. Eventually, a nationwide manhunt is launched by the police to swiftly bring the two of them to justice.

Funny, poignant, and well-cast, Hunt for the Wilderpeople revels in a unique, idyllic quirkiness that could have only come out of somewhere like New Zealand. The film's dramatic moments always hit home and never feel like they were inserted merely for cheap emotional effect. The humour, which is very dry and tongue-in-cheek, frequently adds to the film's likability and unconventional tone. Newcomer Julian Dennison shines as Ricky Baker, a rebellious young boy with a heart of gold and Sam Neill plays off him quite well as his irritable foster uncle.

I rate it 8/10