Hunt for the Wilderpeople (May 2016)

Official Australian release date: 26/5/16. Viewed: 24/5/16.

Director: Taika Waititi

Actors: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rachel House, Rhys Darby  

Genre: Comedy / Adventure

Rating: PG

From New Zealand’s best director, Waititi (‘Eagle Vs Shark’, ‘Boy’, ‘What We Do in the Shadows’), comes ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’, which is a title that doesn’t  make much sense, but when explained with kid logic, it does – “Wildebeest walk thousands of miles. Feels like we’ve walked that may too. That must make us Wilderpeople!” Simple premise – Ricky (Dennison) is an orphan adopted by Bella (Te Wiata) and Hector (Neill), but when Bella dies unexpectedly, Child Services want to put Ricky back in ‘juvie’, so he runs away into the bush, where Hector has to protect him.

There’s so many things to like about this film – the score is great, the little chapter subtitles keep the pace moving, the visuals are stunning (or “majestical”), being filmed on New Zealand’s north island, there’s plenty of great jokes/quips and, most importantly, there’s lots of heart. There’s some nice sentimental moments and some sad ones, handled equally as well as the comedy. The bond formed by Hector and Ricky isn’t forced or fake – it happens naturally and you become really attached to the characters, since it’s mostly the two of them throughout.

But there’s still some time for some good support cast – Paula (House) as the ‘Terminator’-like Child Services Officer hunting them down, Waititi himself as the priest and “Psycho” Sam (Darby). Probably my only criticism is that the film needed more Rhys Darby! It’s great to see Neill understated and slowly shed his shell, but the film belongs to Dennison – chirpy, optimistic in spite of his ordeals and genuinely funny.

Overall: This director and his stars certainly have the “knack” for a great film.

Gav's Rating: 4 stars.