Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

I first watched this film while in college, and I have to say that it was excellent the first time, and is still excellent with every subsequent viewing (which is pretty much every time I happen to catch it on digital cable). Aside from winning a plethora of awards and plaudits it is one of the few critically acclaimed foreign films that never loses its re-watchability factor.

On the surface, director Lee Tamahori's film Once Were Warriors is enamored with the portrayal of the deconstruction and subsequent resurrection of an impoverished Maori family; upon this foundation, issues of alcoholism and domestic violence serve to present not only a passingly realistic and contemporary view of the Maoris [as belonging to a lower caste] but also present alternative forms of masculinity or rather, gender constructions through the use of the performative. Once Were Warriors offers the audience the concept of masculinities, wherein there are many forms of which are shaped in large part by the complexities of male social position, identity, and experience.

The essence of the marginalized masculinity, as with other constructions, is performance; and within the greater contemporary societies, this performance has grown increasingly violent. Jake [the father figure as well as the film’s villain] assumes the hyper-masculine posture in an attempt to gain credibility and respect from his peers and from society. With his skewed understanding of society, he believes that to be a real man, one should always pick fights because respect is linked to physical strength and the threat of violence. Furthermore, by creating a sense of who he is through his muscles and aggression, Jake is in actuality begging to be accepted into the dominant culture. The reason why Jake Heke is such an incredibly engrossing character is because actor Temuera Morrison has imbued him an astounding amount of charisma. I've heard that he actually played an intellectual doctor on some Aussie soap opera and had to bulk up for this role. Lee Tamahori actually rejected the idea of casting Temuera because he didn't believe that Temuera could pull of "physically imposing." Well, Jake the Muss certainly proved him wrong on that score. Jake the Muss represents the doubly oppressed individual: in the context of mainstream society, Jake is one of the unemployed, the welfare-dependent alcoholic; in the context of his Maori heritage, he must carry the legacy of slavery as he is of a lower caste. His Maori heritage or non-heritage is central to who he is now, his resentment of his own class and his wife’s noble heritage fuel his rage against the world, he becomes someone who is imbued with the power of a powerless man.

Jake’s two male progeny and the social worker offer three wholly different forms of alternative masculinities. Both Nig and Boogie are both second-generation welfare dependents meaning they essentially grew up without role models. Both perform differing masculinities through the rediscovery of cultural roots, these in turn create a sense of “self-confidence, self-discipline, and self-worth.” Nig, the eldest son, rejects his father by seeking a sense of purpose and unity within the Toa Aotearoa [the local Maori gang]. To become an active one must subject one’s body to a brutal initiation. Differing from Jake’s violent assertion of manhood, Nig must resist the temptation of violence within him and subject himself to a fierce beating that tests both his strength and stamina. This initiation and the application of ceremonial tattoos represents Nig’s attempt to re-appropriate the spirit of the warrior. Furthermore, in his rediscovery, Nig creates a form of alternative space to perform his masculinity, meaning he does not exercise his newfound power within the construct of the family.

Boogie [Taungaroa Emile] is the impressionable youth that falls in with the wrong crowd. His resurrection comes when he is taken away from his family and placed under the care of the social worker. The social worker also represents a form of didactic masculinity, and he passes this knowledge on to young Boogie. In an altercation with Boogie, the social worker demonstrates his martial proficiency with the Maori spear, soundly disarming and defeating Boogie; but in doing so, he instructs Boogie that performing maleness is not done with the fists but with the mind stating “When I’m finished with you, your spear will be within your mind.” He then teaches boogie an ancient Maori dance: where once it was used to flaunt the masculinity of the body, it is re-signified and now implemented to help the marginalized, displaced, and/or dispossessed person to connect with his past.

These portrayals of masculinity are balanced out by two strong female personalities within the film, Beth and Grace. Beth [played by Rena Owen] starts off as a tragic figure, the proud woman oppressed by the stronger oppressively patriarchal society. Her pride is her downfall, her heritage is all the provocation Jake needs to beat her. She believes that it is her contempt for the social doctrine stipulating that women should always “keep their mouths shut and legs open” [movie quote] that invites Jake’s abuse. Grace [Mamengaroa Kerr-Bell], as her name suggests is the conscience of the family. She takes care of Toot [her friend], initiates the trip to see Boogie, attempts to create a sense of family, and spins fantastical stories for others.

Bottom Line:
Once Were Warriors is a film that forces you to reevaluate society as well as yourself. Every time I watch the film, I find to my own mild disgust that I am still fascinated by the brutally efficient way Jake the Muss asserts his masculinity on other men. Even though I understand that the catalytic elements which serve to impel him into such a primal state pander to the baser attributes of humanity I can't help but be enthralled...even though I know that the inevitable scene is coming wherein that same assertive masculinity will transform Jake the Muss in to Jake the Rapist. The intensity of each physical confrontation leaves an indelible impact, whether it be a kick in the gut, or one in a nether-region that makes you want to vomit.

It is also notable that in the end it is not a re-synthesis into mainstream [white] society that saves the remnants of the family, but rather the discovery and in some parts, rediscovery of their ancestral roots that staves off destruction.

Film is Rated R for strong language and vivid depictions of domestic abuse, including sexual violence and substance abuse.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older