Whale Rider

What's the Plot?

New Zealand's indigenous Maori population are a proud race with their future very much linked to their past. They believe that their ancestor, called Paikea, came to the island upon the back of a whale: The Whale Rider. Since that time, every generation has had a male heir that has succeeded to that chiefly title and led the population through good and bad times. However, this time will be different. When twins are born, Porourangi (Cliff Curtis) is devastated to find that his wife and the boy twin have died in the process of labour. His father, Koro (Rawiri Paratene), the current chief, appears only concerned that the boy died, leaving the tribe without an heir. Despite his father's wishes and subsequent outburst, Porourangi decides to name his daughter Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), after their ancestor, but Koro vows never to accept his grand-daughter as a future leader. To cope with his grief, Porourangi heads off to travel the world, leaving Pia with his parents, Koro and Flowers (Vicky Haughton). Convinced that the tribe's troubles began with Pia's birth, Koro begins to search for a leader amongst the first born sons, but Pia, despite her love for her grand-father, must stand up to him and a thousand years of tradition to reveal her true purpose and the way forward for everyone.

The Review

In a climate of pumped-up, over-budgeted, by-the-numbers' movies, there lies on the horizon a saviour. To the cry of "there she blows!", Whale Rider surfaces to show that, for anyone with the backbone to give something other than a comic book hero a chance, there is a film that is a genuinely uplifting experience, without the feeling of being force-fed an emotional response. Based on a novel by Witi Ihimaera, it's your basic "struggling hero/heroine trying to prove their worth in a particular field" except this time instead of boxing, dancing, rapping etc., there's an element of mysticism to the plot. What could have so easily let the film down ends up proving to be one of it's strongest points.

The casting of a non-actress in the child role of Pai would be unthinkable in most US movies, but here, Keisha Castle-Hughes not only steals the show but also your heart as the girl determined to prove herself to the ones she loves despite their narrow-mindedness. Her naturalness (due to her not actual being an actress) speaks volumes, especially when opposite the incredibly imposing Rawiri Paratene. If you don't at least get a lump in your throat when the grand father barks at her to apologise infront of the prospective chief boys, then you are indeed without heart.

However, if you fail to be moved at Pai's prize winning speech dedicated to her grand father who doesn't turn up to hear it as she reads it aloud through a waterfall of tears, then forget your heart check; you're dead! Whale Rider is one of those rare gems where it's simplicity, it's honesty and it's life-affirming message should find an appreciative audience with all who go to see it. Not only a cultural eye-opener (the Maori traditions leave a lot of cultures to shame) with beautiful scenery but a tearjerker also, this is a film that everyone should treat themselves too. Go see it.

STEVE'S SCORE