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 WHALE
RIDER (Site)
Drama. 101 minutes. PG-13. As the leader of a New Zealand Whangara tribe
rich in heritage and tradition, Koro (Rawiri Paratene) finds himself
without a leadership heir after his only grandson, one half of twins, dies
at birth. Eleven years later, Koro’s granddaughter Paikea (Keisha
Castle-Hughes), the surviving twin, tries to buck the patriarchal
leadership tradition in the hopes of one day becoming the tribe’s chief.
However, the more Paikea tries, the more her Grandfather rejects her.
Absolutely determined, Paikea continues her struggle to prove to
the community, and more importantly her Grandfather, that she indeed has
the spiritual and leadership qualities of her ancestors.
Whale
Rider will pull you in two different directions:
You will cheer for Paikea and the conflict she arises, but you will
also understand Koro’s upholding of a strong tradition. Everybody
respects Koro’s stance, but they also don’t want to deflate Paikea’s
spirit and often help her “buck the trend” even though they know it
flies in the face of their tradition and history. The relationship between
Koro and Pai is one of love, respect, and disappointment, which at times
really tugs at your heart. Yes, there is one scene that even got me a
little misty in the eyeball area. Along with the acting being top notch in
every aspect, the production values are stunning- location and soundtrack
(which I intend to buy) being phenomenal. Side note; Keisha Castle-Hughes
was an unknown before this role, but now she’s slated for a part in the
next Star Wars movie…good for her. Not only is the movie great, but so
are the DVD extras; director’s commentary, two behind the scenes
featurettes, deleted scenes, soundtrack samples, galleries, etc. Whale
Rider is a venerated exhibit of inspiration and a fine example of how to
disrespect, if you will, in a respectful manner. - Denis Sheehan
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