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Whale Rider

Whale Rider Whale Rider is a family story about; fathers and sons, loss and triumph, the tenacious survival of a small endangered New Zealand tribe, the role of women in traditionally patriarchal communities, and most centrally- a story of a small girl’s journey to find love and acceptance from the person least likely to give it to her. Somehow it manages to juggle all these themes without seeming heavy-handed or contrived. It achieves a rare triumph of film – a story that can be enjoyed by both adults and children while both inspiring and relatable on a personal level.

Pai, the young Maori girl played masterfully by Keisha Castle-Hughes, is an unforgettable character who has the misfortune of being the only first-born in a long line of non-male chiefs. Her grandfather Koro (Rawiri Paratene), the current tribe leader, is torn between his love for her and his repulsion for her desire to buck tradition and train as a warrior in the Maori ways. Pai spends the movie alternating between defiance and heart-breaking submission, wanting to honor her grandfather’s wishes, but not wanting to disobey or upset him.

The film does something that very few films about indigenous communities manage to accomplish – it showcases a modern people struggling with the demands of ancient culture, without either over-romanticizing that culture or prophesizing its doom. We see the Maori as a people struggling to survive and succeeding only through their eventual acquiescence to adaptation of contemporary ways. One leaves the film feeling that it is possible for societies like the Maori to prosper without sacrificing their history or the identity they have fought so long to preserve.

It is always amazing when a foreign film like Whale Rider demonstrates to us how much dramatic talent lies undiscovered in various corners of the earth. Keisha Castle-Hughes is a revelation as an actress. Only twelve years old during filming, she portrays Pai as bright, intelligent, responsive, and emotional. The film rides on her young shoulders and its success comes particularly from her performance in a pivotal scene, requiring every viewer to come equipped with easily accessible handkerchiefs. The supporting cast is also amazing, particularly Rawiri Paratene as the begrudging grandfather Koro.

Whale Rider is a must-see for even the mildly sentimental, a family movie with a real heart and a story that people can connect with, regardless of their background.

Written by: Jennifer O'Reilly

Reviewers Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 8.33
Reader's Votes: 6

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