Hunt for the Wilderpeople

This was incredibly funny, I loved it, all the actors played their parts well, I laughed Thru 90% and I say 90 because truthfully a few bits hit the feels, but its well worth the watch and the scenery is amazing, nothing like seeing your beautiful country on a big screen, so if your in to minds, set it to the bright side and go watch this you wont regret it, it was good so see Sam Neil again, and can see we are welcoming in a bright new shinning star to our comedy movies, so I feel like NZ has brought out another great film that can me us proud Its a very authentic view of new Zealand, few twist and turns unexpected moment, but don't be afraid to laugh out load you just cant help it

Kiwi director Taika Waititi of "Boy" and "What We Do In the Shadows" fame will shortly be stepping into the big leagues directing the next "Thor" movie.

In the meantime he has conjured up another slice of real Kiwi life on a budget that would probably fail to cover the catering bill for his new movie. Waititi translates Kiwi writer Barry Crump's book into a screenplay full of Kiwiana, irony and humour.

We meet Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) as the local police (Oscar Kightley) and "enthusiastic" Child Care worker "Paula" (Rachel House), attempt to rehouse the young Maori lad with his new adoptive foster parents. "Aunt Bella" (Rima Te Wiata), child loving and with a heart of gold together with husband "Hec" (Sam Neill), a loner bushman with little desire to house a young delinquent.

Ricky's long list of offences are mentioned, including "smashing stuff and throwing rocks" but Paula is very determined, oft repeating her personal motto, "no child left behind".

The opening scene sets the tone perfectly, as Ricky carefully surveys his new accommodation and quietly returns to the police car.

Despite finding his new basic rural surroundings somewhat bewildering, including a gloriously bloody wild pig hunt, Ricky starts to become part of the family as he is showered by Aunt Bella's practical love and understanding.

Following an event, Ricky and Hec strike out on their own into the New Zealand bush as a national man hunt for the pair commences. Can they get on, will Hec's heart eventually melt, if indeed he can find it? This is a comedy drama with emphasis on the humour with incompetent hunters, crazy bushmen (Rhys Darby) and comical situations. However framed with underlying sadness and a serious story under pinning the whole endeavour. The tone is reminiscent of director Waititi's' "Boy" and manages to stay consistent throughout. Waititi even allowing himself a brief cameo, to great comedic effect.

There are plenty of belly laughs for those that understand and know New Zealand well. Neill essaying your everyday "she'll be right" Kiwi bloke, whilst providing a much needed straight man to all the shenanigans.

Some scenes are pushed too far, with Paula's quest going to ridiculous length's for the sake of comedy and Darby overbalancing his scenes with his usual shtick. Somehow with the solid anchor of Dennison's fresh performance and Neill's experience, the ship manages to stay the right way up.

The New Zealand bush is shown in all it's glory with the addition of a great choral track to accompany the shots of the overhead tree canopy.

Overall a much more approachable and enjoyable film than "Shadows" which will play especially well with Kiwi's and Australians but does have broader appeal.

Summary

Hugely enjoyable comedy adventure with serious undertones and represents a real return to form for Waititi. It's also good to see Sam Neill on the big screen again, opposite a great new young talent.

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!!

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.

I saw this movie last night in Hokitika. There was a queue outside, which caused comment enough amongst the locals, as this never happens. The cinema was packed with an amazing demographic of people, for example, on one side of me were toddlers with their Mums, on the other a lone hunter-type and behind me a group of retired farmer ladies. I think this speaks volumes on the draw of this film. To put it simply, it ticks all the right boxes. Everyone in Aotearoa (NZ) will know these characters in some form or another; from the gruff old bushman, to the earthy mother figure and the chillaxed cop. It is that familiarity that makes it more engrossing and funny. But not just here, its mix of subtle bathos and pathos will make it universally appealing, of that I am certain. In short: Good on ya, Taika! 'Marvellous' film!