Whale Rider
Before anybody becomes confused: this isn't Free Willy. Nor is it Jaws, Finding Nemo or any other type of fishy tale in which there's an animal as the main focus of the flick. Whilst you could take your children to see it, be warned that they might end up a bit upset at the sadder moments - and there are a few - but generally speaking it is a positive film that is more than likely to stay in their/your imagination for a long time to come.
If nothing else, its worth watching just for Keisha Castle-Hughes (Pai), who plays through a job that outperforms most of cinema's child actors put together. It proves to be a fantastic sight, watching this young girl break down into tears (if you'll forgive the masochism) and run around more emotional performance than could change your opinion of young actors. Its a hard thing to explain: not like attending a masterclass by Haley Joel-Osmont, or even like watching the young Natalie Portman in Leon - she seems to have an amazing understanding of the character that is almost unfathomable within a thirteen year-old. Maybe its because the story is more organic, or because we aren't seeing some spoilt american brat; whatever the reason, Caro has attained a performance here that positively shines above anything else in recent history. There are many other great performances in this film from more internationally unknown actors, notably Rawiri Paratene's Koro, and so sometimes Pai just seems to seamlessly blend in to a town full of strong, sad characters.
Paikea (her full name, after a legend of an ancient Maori who rode to New Zealand on the back of a whale) is a girl who seems almost supernaturally destined to take up the prophetic mantle of her family line, despite the wishes of her patriarchal grandfather, who is determined to see a male heir take on the role to continue the values of their long-lasted heritage. This heritage, which whilst still surprisingly well-upheld by his little community, seem to be on the way out due to a tragic twist of fate that broke the continuation in his own bloodline. So in order to keep the traditions alive, he seeks an alternative within the other firstborn sons of the community, and sets up a school to teach these traditions to the next generation. The main focus of the film lies within the conflict of an ageing man whose cherished standards are threatened by a girl who continues to love him (and his values), despite his near-constant reproachment on the subject, and how these values are 'not for her'. Caro directs the story - based on Witi Ihimaera's novel - with equal amounts of tenderness and vitality, and whilst we see several characters who have been affected by Koro's hardiness - his seemingly downtrodden wife, and their drunken second-born son, we also come to see their stronger sides - Koro's wife explains how she simply 'allows' him to act in such a way for his own peace of mind, and the second son ends up aiding Pai in her progression toward her destiny.
Niki Caro's film combines the best attributes of a great character story with a great, slightly fantastical and mythological one. The story acts as a good pointer toward the benefits of change in engrained social structures, and could have been written just as effectively about parts of any other religion on the planet. Although it will probably reduce you to blubber (drum roll please), it is a lovely film that cares about all of its content. Like the South American cinematic development of the past few years, it seems that with films like Whale Rider and Rain, New Zealand is shifting up a gear taking a faster entry into the ever-strengthening category of world cinema.
8.0
MD 10:14 06/10/2003