{"id":1028,"date":"2018-10-17T13:40:57","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T18:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/?p=1028"},"modified":"2018-10-17T13:40:57","modified_gmt":"2018-10-17T18:40:57","slug":"review-hunt-for-the-wilderpeople-2016-dir-taika-waititi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/review-hunt-for-the-wilderpeople-2016-dir-taika-waititi\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016, dir. Taika Waititi)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Coming at the mid-point of our <a href=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/2018-winona-state-film-series-resilience\/\">Resilience film series is <\/a><em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople,<\/em> a wonderfully quirky and family-friendly romp written and directed by Taika Waititi (director of <em>Thor: Ragnarok<\/em> and <em>What We Do in the Shadows<\/em>). Adapted from the book <em>Wild Pork and Watercress,<\/em> written in 1986 by the late Kiwi novelist Barry Crump, <em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople<\/em> is a charming film that was brought to life by the unique vision of its creators, resulting in a funny but poignant story that leaves audiences both visually and narratively satisfied.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1032\" style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1032\" class=\"wp-image-1032 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-3.jpg 960w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-3-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1032\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ricky (Julian Dennison) and Hec (Sam Neill)<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Wilderpeople<\/em>\u00a0follows that familiar odd-couple formula of troublesome kid foisted upon a grumpy and begrudging adult, but Waititi\u2019s distinctive voice never allows the film to become a stale stereotype. When wannabe gangster Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) arrives at a run-down farmhouse on the outskirts of the dense New Zealand bushland, it&#8217;s his last chance at a foster home before being shipped off to juvenile prison. This adolescent \u201cbad egg\u201d has gotten into \u201cgraffiti-ing, littering, smashing stuff, burning stuff, breaking stuff, stealing stuff, throwing rocks\u2026\u201d but the kindly Bella (Rima Te Wiata) is convinced she can handle the boy. She allows him to run away each night, knowing he won\u2019t get far before coming back for breakfast in the morning, and ensures his bed always has a heated water bottle waiting for him.<\/p>\n<p>Ricky soon begins to soften under her enthusiastic maternal influence, but Bella\u2019s gruff husband Hector (Sam Neill) doesn\u2019t want anything to do with the boy and continues to keep his distance. It appears as though Ricky&#8217;s life has finally taken a turn for the better, but tragedy soon strikes and an unfortunate sequence of events render Ricky and Hec stuck together in the vast New Zealand wilderness. Throughout the film the duo are pursued by police, game hunters, wild pigs, and the increasingly unhinged child protection officer Paula (Rachel House), whose mantra \u201cno child left behind\u201d gathers comic intensity as the hunt drags out month after month. But even in the first few minutes of the film, these characters are brought to life by the surprising amount of emotional weight Waititi brings to even the most comedic of situations.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_s3bHABazDA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Shot in various remote locations on the north island of New Zealand,\u00a0<em>Wilderpeople<\/em>\u00a0makes great use of the striking scenery. Dense bushland, snow-peaked mountains, and remote lakes are all gorgeously depicted, with many aerial shots worthy of a nature documentary. A mock operatic musical score underlines the comedic but tense evasion of authorities, and the bursts of well-choreographed action are woven seamlessly into the flow of the narrative. Waititi handles the combination of jokes, heartwarming moments, and ridiculously over the top car-helicopter-tank chases with a characteristic self-assurance that pays off in a gratifying\u00a0 way.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1029\" style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1029\" class=\"wp-image-1029 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-1.png 960w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-1-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-1-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1029\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Director Taika Waititi on set of Hunt for the Wilderpeople<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople\u00a0<\/em>is a beautiful display of Waititi\u2019s technical competence. The New Zealand backdrop does a lot to make the film look great, but his continual use of low-key lighting on characters is intentionally used to complement the way the landscape itself is characterized. It accentuates some of the film\u2019s key themes, like abandonment, and makes the film beautiful to look at.\u00a0Adding to its visual appeal, the film uses a lot of natural lighting, which further contributes to the crisp and picturesque New Zealand landscape the film spends so much of its time flourishing in.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1030\" style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1030\" class=\"wp-image-1030 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-2.jpg 960w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/Review-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ricky and Hec in the middle of the New Zealand bush<\/p><\/div>\n<p>However, it\u2019s the story and the characters that makes\u00a0<em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople\u00a0<\/em>so unique. The story is impulsive and riveting with a sense of humor which ushers it along at a brisk pace and makes it all the more enjoyable. Waititi&#8217;s comedy is sprinkled through the film with what feels like a great deal of ease, but at the same time <em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople\u00a0<\/em>was created with complete sincerity\u00a0in\u00a0its story and characters.\u00a0From the very beginning,\u00a0as\u00a0the aerial camera pans across the incredible landscape of the New Zealand wilderness, the film is excellent in its execution of a fun and enjoyable narrative, with well-rounded and memorable characters. The film is moving and sentimental, but at the same time it flows so naturally that the viewer can\u2019t help but be swept along for the ride.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1042\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1042\" class=\"wp-image-1042 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/6109cdeab7f25d32680c952fccbdc891.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/6109cdeab7f25d32680c952fccbdc891.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/10\/6109cdeab7f25d32680c952fccbdc891-300x129.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1042\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The chemistry between Ricky and Uncle Hec feeds the resilience for their growing relationship<\/p><\/div>\n<p><em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople<\/em> is a film that has the potential to sound rather clich\u00e9 when describing it. Afterall, it\u2019s another coming-of-age tale, complete with a troubled teen and a man who never thought he\u2019d become a father figure. And yet Waititi\u2019s film shines through with grounded characters, witty dialogue, compassionate filmmaking, and inventive storytelling. <em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople<\/em> is consistently clever and moving, and Waititi\u2019s way of exposing characters\u2019 individual vulnerabilities creates a film that is unique despite its familiar roots. <em>Hunt for the Wilderpeople<\/em> can be enjoyed both as a quirky comedy and as an in-depth look at coping with loneliness and tragedy. Surviving in the &#8220;bush&#8221; and coming out of it with a new purpose in life serves as a test of resilience for both Ricky and Uncle Hec. Waititi\u2019s focus on companionship is something that crops up a lot in his films, but its depiction in\u00a0<em>Wilderpeople<\/em> really speaks to the idea that people are stronger together than alone.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coming at the mid-point of our Resilience film series is Hunt for the Wilderpeople, a wonderfully quirky and family-friendly romp written and directed by Taika Waititi (director of Thor: Ragnarok and What We Do in the Shadows). Adapted from the book Wild Pork and Watercress, written in 1986 by the late Kiwi novelist Barry Crump, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[60,62,54],"class_list":["post-1028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews","tag-hunt-for-the-wilderpeople","tag-maeve-oduggan","tag-resilience"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1028"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1061,"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028\/revisions\/1061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/academics.winona.edu\/povwinona\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}