"Whale Rider"
New Zealand / Germany: Te Kaike Tohora (Maori Title)
Director: Niki Caro
Original Languages: English & Maori
Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa, Mana Taumaunu, Rachel House
O wow! So that's how the New Zealand-ish English sounds like. I had to turn on the subtitles just to get what they are saying. Zealand English is pretty much different from Australian, i could still understand the latter. What really got me hooked to the English of New Zealand is that it uses some expressions that I myself, whether i'm in the Philippines or here in Canada, don't really use or to say the least "not really familiar". OH THE COLLOQUIAL ENGLISHES!!! hahaha...
anyways, setting aside those invented terms...
I really am very interested with some traditions this country has where the activities that can only have men/boy participants and shows this discrimination towards women because of a certain stereotype that is included in the beliefs of the tradition. In this film, you'll see some girl power hehehe.
It all starts when Porourangi's (Curtis) wife gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl (which is Pai). Koro (Paratene) expects to see boy, but unfortunately, both the newly born baby boy died with his mother. Koro wants the boy because of a tradition in their Maori family that the position of "chief" or "prophet" of their village has to be passed to the first born... and yes, it has to be a male. Koro and Pai got very well together, Pai's father Porourangi (who could become the next chief in line, unfortunately he couldn't do his responsibilities) went to Germany and left his daughter. Pai cannot be the one who will lead, so Koro instituted a sacred school and enrolled all the first-born boys to see who will be the next chief to succeed him. Pai, despite being a girl and unqualified for the succession, still wanted to study under Koro. What answers Koro's question leads to a design-carved whale tooth that he was wearing on his neck for a long time. sorry if i have to cut it there...
So let's get it on!
The Plot is absolutely nice, thanks to the great novel where it was based (i never read it hehehe). It was written by a Maori native Sir Witi Ihimaera. The atmosphere of the film is right on! The setting from inside the Maori tribe temple to the seashore tells you the kind of tradition and belief this group of Maoris have which is mainly centred on the souls of the sea or some sore (another invented term).
The actors are incredible! I think this is Keisha's biggest break, in my opinion, as an actress. She also played a role in Star Wars (i'm not fond of such movie so i'll let you research which role she played... she's better as Pai if you'd ask me). The Maori cast who even speaks the aboriginal dialect are tremendously inspirational especially for a linguistic like me who is now interested in learning Maori hehehe.
I haven't made great judgements about the rest so i'll just make ramblings. Good thing there's the artifacts of the Maori traditions although related to the whales and the sea are still beautiful to look at with colours and designs that make me think about who my ancestors are. The feeling of being Maori is there, you see how they greet (not by shaking hands or hugging but by touching noses). The cultural fighting of the Maoris, they slightly look like martial arts. y'know having long sticks, but actually in this film, the fighting styles being used are sacred. The make-up! o yes! Keisha as i was implying looks great playing this role, she looks like a guy for some people. I don't know if that's just signifying a foreshadowing that Pai is going to challenge Koro's search for a first-born male to become the next chief, and it was different when you watch it yet the consequences were the same hehehe... The rest of the cast, Cliff Curtis i think is quite remarkable from long hair in the beginning of the film to becoming a baldy, either way you know that he's someone who wants to just keep himself from his obligations to his family and his blood. Now on some camshots, i kinda found a bit of irritation with the house (exterior) of the Apiranas (Pai, Koro & Nanny). I didn't feel that they are distant enough from civilization. The house is quite too contemporarily built. Nature like the bushes and trees only saved the looks of that setting.
Sounds! Wow! listening to Maori is one, its like Hawaiian to tell you. But since New Zealand is a pacific country rather than near Australia and Asian, what would you expect from the language. The narration of Pai indeed is a very nice idea to create the mood of the story especially when the whales start jumping on the beaches near the Apirana's. The music is phenomenal as well, i love listening to traditional, aborigine music. They seem to make my world glow with openness. That actually goes the same when i listen to traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, African, Arabian, Indian, European, Philippine Tribal, Latin American ballroom dances and folk music.
Well, to put it all together, "Whale Rider" is a very nice and heartwarming film and this has a message as well. It's not the "give the girls some experience" ideal... but the thing is, no matter what, we have to treat each other equally and with reapect and acceptance. We have to acknowledge each other's existence here on earth. Thinking too much about oneself is just like getting lesser chances of surviving and getting a place in the society, community, etc.
Recognitions:
2004 Academy Awards Nominee - for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Keisha Castle-Hughes)
2003 Audience Award - Rotterdam International Film Festival
2003 Audience Award - San Francisco International Film Festival
2003 Audience Award - Sundance Film Festival
2002 People's Choice Award - Toronto International Film Festival
2003 Golden Space Needle Award both for Best Film & Best Director (Nick Caro) - Seattle International Film Festival
kk... next time, i'll put up some neat Zhang Ziyi films for review, probably more foreign films, but you just watch out hehehehe...
--jic 006024MMV0136H
"Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children"
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