Review #1,093: 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' (2016)

Before Hunt for the Wilderpeople was even released, director Taika Waititi had been headhunted by Marvel Studios to helm what will be one of their biggest releases in 2017, Thor: Ragnarok. The talented writer, director and actor duly obliged, and will no doubt bring his unique brand of charm and laugh-out-loud humour to what has been tantalisingly described as an intergalactic road movie. His relocation to Hollywood helps bring a sense of bittersweet gravitas to Wilderpeople, almost as if he is waving goodbye to his beautiful New Zealand, smashing the opening weekend box-office in his native country in the process.

The film tells the story of Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), an overweight orphan who dresses like the gangster rappers he frequently quotes who is placed in the care of foster parent 'Aunt' Bella (Rima Te Wiata). Bella lives in a remote cottage and welcomes the troubled child with open arms, switched on to exactly how to deal with Ricky's unique brand of rebellion. The same cannot be said for her husband Hec (Sam Neill), a grizzled frontiersman who we first meet emerging from the hills with a huge boar on his back. Hec has no time for Ricky, but when tragedy strikes, the child heads out into the wilderness to survive on his own. It doesn't take long for Hec to catch up to him, but when the huntsman is injured, the two are forced into spending a huge amount of time together, becoming wanted outlaws and local celebrities in the process.

Waititi's previous film, the cult vampire mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows, was complimented by its cast of talented comedic actors and surprisingly gory set-pieces. While Shadows was certainly a riot, it could be argued that it lacked heart. Wilderpeople certainly doesn't, and Waititi seems to have an uncanny ability to know just when to inject sentiment into a mix of memorable one-liners, bizarre supporting characters and pop culture references. A lot of this is down to the two central performances. Dennison proves to be one held of a find and the ever-reliable Neill is perfect as the grumpy foil who slowly and convincingly forms a bond with the child. Many of the laughs come from Ricky's childish naivety - when he sees the military and their sniffer dogs hunting them through the trees, he exclaims, "Ninjas! Direwolves! Child Services!"

There is also a fine performance from Rachel House as head of child services Paula, a grotesque woman who seems to have stepped out of the pages of a Roald Dahl book. Her motto is "no child left behind," but doesn't seem to grasp the meaning of the words as she takes her job far too seriously and leading the manhunt herself. While the film seems to slightly lose focus towards the Thelma and Louise-inspired climax, it never loses its heart. Adapted from Barry Crump's book Wild Pork and Watercress, Waititi's is clearly in love with the film's characters, as well as the beauty of the New Zealand wilderness. It's a near perfect combination of comedy and drama, knowing exactly the right time to switch gears. If Waititi can bring the same levels of charm and offbeat humour to his Thor movie next year, it will be one of the most intriguing movies of the year and a standout in Marvel's already-impressive track record.


Directed by: Taika Waititi
Starring: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Rhys Darby
Country: New Zealand

Rating: *****

Tom Gillespie