Whale Rider

After losing his wife and son during childbirth, Porourangi (Curtis) leaves his newborn daughter with his parents and heads away from his Maori community to find a life for himself. Twelve years later and young Pai (Castle-Hughes) is still trying to fit in as she is not the grandson that chief Koro (Paratene) had envisioned would come to bring back prosperity his people. Despite tradition Pai tries he best to learn the old ways of Paikea, her whale-riding ancestor who had bought their people to New Zealand.

The wonderful country of New Zealand is highlighted again by a character driven drama about tradition and change.

The Maori way of life is beautifully brought to life by screenwriter/director Niki Caro. Adapting the novel by Witi Ihimaera, Caro does a wonderful job of capturing the sensibilities of tradition and the pressure of doing what you think is right, even if it means upsetting your family. This is the journey that Pai and Koro take. Pai wants to learn about her ancestors and the traditions of her family but she can't because she's a girl. Koro needs to find a new chief but this means isolating his granddaughter. It is heart warming, tender material that will tug the heartstrings of even the sternest viewer.

The performances are first rate. Rawiri Paratene and debutant Keisha Castle-Hughes shine as Koro and Pai. Both are exceptional and totally believeable, pulling you into their situation as the tug of war between tradition and change becomes more of a strain in their relationship. Keisha Castle-Hughes is another child actor to watch, just watch her during the school play scene and you will see what a potential talent she is. Rawiri Paratene commands your respect with a performance of a passionate man blinded by his stubborn dedication to tradition, unable to see the answer right in front of his eyes. There is also good support from Cliff Curtis and Vicky Haughton as Porourangi and Nanny Flowers.

This is a character driven movie that is a joy to watch. Intelligently directed and beautifully written the film is funny, tender, touching and uplifting. Whale Rider is a gem.

Audio commentary from director Niki Caro, Deleted scenes with audio commentary from the director, 'Behind The Scenes' featurette, 'Tribal' featurette, Screen tests, Photo gallery, Trailer, Interactive menu & Scene access

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2003