Review

Review Date: 3-August-03
Spoiler Rating: Medium
Juju Judgment: Juicy

Whale Rider (2003)

I have been slow on getting out to see "Whale Rider," one of the big indie hits of the summer, but I'm happy now to report that it's definitely a case of better late than never. This unusual coming-of-age tale from New Zealand has wowed both critics and fans alike, and no wonder: it's a gentle but powerful film about tradition, family, and destiny that features a gem of a young star in an unforgettable performance.

The movie takes place in a small Maori community on the eastern coast of New Zealand, where, as in many other tribal cultures, the old ways are nearing extinction. Ever since their remotest ancestor rode to land on the back of a whale, leadership of the clan has passed down from father to son. But the current chief, Koro (Rawiri Paratene), lacks a strong male heir to succeed him: his oldest son doesn't want the job (for tragic reasons made clear at the beginning), his second son is a bit of a slacker, and his only grandchild is --- horrors! --- a girl. Koro helps raise the child despite this flaw in her character, but their mutual affection is challenged in her twelfth year, when it becomes necessary to identify the next chief. For the girl, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), turns out to be as strong willed as her grandfather and, unlike any other male in the community, to have been chosen by ineffable forces to lead her tribe into the future. Unable and unwilling to ignore her calling, Pai struggles for the opportunity to prove her worth to her grandfather, who cannot accept any deviation from the age-old customs. But though Koro fights her every step of the way, in the end he cannot deny Pai her destiny.

Rather like Pai herself, "Whale Rider" accomplishes the difficult feat of bringing together ancient lore and modern reality in an understandable and meaningful way. The film's measured unfolding allows the viewer a good look at the Maori community in its conflicted 21st century state: along with scenes of their traditional songs, dances, and handicrafts are images of embarrassed kids who can't wait to leave their backwater home and young men and women who have fallen prey to disconnection from the world. You understand why people like Pai's father want to get out and build a new life, but you're attracted to the tribal rituals because they're beautiful and speak to a communality that most of us have never experienced. Pai offers the perfect resolution to the culture's clash: she has one foot in the past, with a heightened spiritual awareness and connection to her people's totem animal, and one foot in the future, with the courage to defy convention, forego the secondary status of the women around her, and claim the title of chief. Seen through the lens of her experience, the blending of the mystical and the practical feels plausible and seamless. We want her to succeed because to do so will reconcile the old and the new and satisfy everybody's needs.

We also want Pai to succeed because she's one of the most appealing young characters on film. Keisha Castle-Hughes is a flat-out winner in her first acting role; utterly (and at times heartbreakingly) unaffected and understated, she's possessed of a beauty that perfectly illuminates Pai's clear-eyed, big-hearted nature. Her effortless intensity is almost matched by Paratene's surly turn as Koro, whose sincere desire to preserve his tribe and their identity keeps him from full blown villainhood. Also notable is Vicky Haughton as Pai's understanding and tolerant grandmother, who, unlike her husband, recognizes that the winds of change are blowing.

Even more than a family drama or girl power film, "Whale Rider" is a fairy tale. Its power lies in the notion that the wisdom of children can trump the foolishness of adults, and that there is magic that can fix life's big problems for those special enough to wield it. But thanks to director Niki Caro's straightforward style and the magnetism of its star, the movie feels more like truth than fantasy and resonates as a tale about the triumph of the soul --- both personal and collective --- over the confusion of modern life.

Copyright © 2003 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.