Whale Rider

Pros: Pai, Castle-Hughes, Photography, Score
Cons: Koro, a certain lack of modern cultural perspective

Sometimes, as a melting pot American, I feel a distinct lack of cultural heritage. Many of the celebrations, holidays and traditions I grew up with have become sanitized; mass produced for consumer friendliness. As a result of this intermittent feeling ...

Pros: Heroic story, Excellent lead performances, Compelling soundtrack
Cons: Story drags at times, New Zealand accent difficult to follow

The 2002 film Whale Rider premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and promptly won the World Cinema Audience Award. It is adapted from the novel of the same name by Maori author Witi Ihimaera, but is based on the ancient Maori ...

Pros: The leads, the setting, the story, the music.
Cons: None that I can see.

Every now and then I get a very pleasant surprise, namely when a film or book surpasses what I had originally expected. Such was the case when I took in this story of a clash between traditional and modern life. Set among the Maori of New Zealand, ...

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When I first heard about the New Zealand produced drama Whale Rider, it was it's feminist message that people kept raving about, talking up how the film portrayed a girl deserving of leadership in a film that features neither bikinis nor the usual ...

Pros: Great cast and beautiful scenery and story
Cons: A little slow getting started

Whale Rider is a wonderful story about old traditions conflicting with the modern world. It set in present day in a beautiful New Zealand coastal town and about the Maori tribe of people. This movie is based on the novel by Sir Witi Ihimaera and ...

Pros: Scenery, story, acting, incredible blend of mythology and reality.
Cons: Nada

There was a time I never missed a movie. It didn’t matter if it had good reviews, bad reviews. I w ...

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Dedicated to those that have gone before (*) Witi Ihimaera wrote this novel which was adapted to screenplay and directed by Niki Caro. At times I almost got a documentary feel from the piece, the information was so interesting and the customs so ...

Pros: Acting. Pacing. Theme.
Cons: Audiences prefer explosions.

Paikea, the ancestor, came to New Zealand on the back of a whale. It was a bountiful land where the Maori grew strong. But as an ebbing tide they are now receding into the 21st Century’s global ocean of homogenous humanity. Some are fighting this ...

Pros: Moving, genuine coming-of-age story is great for the whole family.
Cons: Will make you sob until your sleeves are soaked.

Like many little girls, I wanted very badly to be a princess when I was young. Not a lame pointy-ha ...

Pros: Some truly great performances along with a story full of heart
Cons: A few things bothered me...

New Zealand has always been a place that has intrigued me. Their rugby team is perhaps the most exciting rugby team right now. Also, my best friend is a Kiwi (what the New Zealanders are known as in these parts) and he told me a lot about New Zealand ...

Pros: overall, an amazingly beautiful film
Cons: voiceovers are our enemies

As box-office earnings become more important than artistic integrity or even intelligent storytelling, audiences need to search ever farther afield for meaningful entertainment. This often means seeking films not only from outside the studio system, but ...

Pros: A great movie
Cons: None

Whale Rider was the most interesting and enjoyable movie, I have seen in a long time. I don't remember all the names of the people. So this will be a generic review and as such will probably end up getting only a "Show" rating. LMAO I rented the ...

Pros: Superbly charming myth-based, cliché-free script; attention to authenticity; excellent performances; excellent visuals and sound
Cons: Poor management of subplots

Here's a film that avoids most of the potential traps for its type of movie to provide a moving and original perspective on empowerment. It is the work of a rising star among filmmakers from Oceania, Niki Caro. Historical Background: Niki ...

Pros: I got nothing
Cons: Everything, particularly that this is associated with New Zealand

There’s a lot of stuff you could say about Whale Rider. You could say it made Keshia Castle-Hughes a star. You could say it exposed aspects of the Maori culture to the world. You could not, however, say it was a good movie. ...

Pros: great values and uplifting story; Keisha Castle-Hughes; ending
Cons: drags, but only because most people won't understand what is happening

Whale Rider is the kind of movie that I hate to love. It is a good movie, except for the fact that I did not understand the Maori culture one bit. It would seem if one did not understand what he or she was watching, the film would slowly sink into a ...