Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Taika Waititi, 2016, New Zealand, Colour, 101 mins, Certificate: 12

This an adventure, a comedy, a drama, and a western unlike any other, all at once.

It is also a love letter to cinema, as it ingeniously combines genres and weaves references to film (and pop culture) staples to tell its incredible story of escape into parenthood via the wild, untouched nature of New Zealand – proud home of the Lord of the Rings movies.

Just before his move to Hollywood with the unexpectedly comedic bang of Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, and his Oscar win for Best Adapted screenplay for his controversial, misunderstood and still fervently beloved by some Jojo Rabit, Waititi introduced us to rebellious teen Ricky (Julian Dennison) and his foster uncle, Hec (the perennially underappreciated Sam Neill), who after a tragedy and a series of misunderstandings find themselves and each other, while escaping from the authorities.

A commercial and artistic mega hit in its native country, it cemented Waititi – the eccentric genius behind cult favourites Boy and What We Do in the Shadows – as an international household name. Most significantly though, it’s an extraordinary, exhilarating, at times explosively hilarious, feel good film.

Reviews:

“[Waititi’s] nimble adaptation here combines solid writing with an entire bag of filmmaking tricks that includes visual gags, unexpected cuts and quick montage sequences to score laughs from the get-go. He also cleverly exploits who these people are to get the audience in stitches. ” Boyd Van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter

★★★★★ “Some scenes will get you swearing there’s just something in your eye; others will make you honk like a goose on nitrous oxide. You’ll be left with a glow that’ll ensure Wilderpeople a place on your best-of-year list.” Dan Jolin, Empire

““Hunt for the Wilderpeople” takes a troika of familiar story types — the plucky kid, the crusty geezer, the nurturing bosom — and strips them of cliché. Charming and funny, it is a drama masquerading as a comedy about an unloved boy whom nobody wants until someone says, Yes, I’ll love him.” Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

★★★★★ “A little bit Rambo, a little bit The Goonies… is a strange film. It doesn’t really fit comfortably into any particular genre but straddles fantasy and reality, comedy and tragedy, sense and nonsense. Just do yourself a favour and see it. ” Olly Richards, NME