Hunt for the Wilderpeople – 5 out of 5
The last review I did was for Taika Waititi’s Boy and in that one I mentioned that after experiencing his majesty with Thor: Ragnarok, I decided that I would go back and check out some of his other films that I hadn’t seen before. We’re now moving on to the second of those two films and the one that had him desire to bring in Sam Neill for a hysterical cameo in the Marvel feature. This one is his 2016 Hunt for the Wilderpeople. This might be one of his best, in my opinion…of course, I say the same thing about Eagle vs Shark, Thor and What We Do in the Shadows.
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| Waititi has a cameo and a super epic beard in this one. |
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| How can someone not feel a motherly bond with her? |
Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a troublesome boy that has been shuffled around the foster system for a long time. The service officer in charge of him; Paula (Rachel House), ends up bringing him to a remote home owned by Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and Hec (Sam Neill). Ricky is resistant at first but eventually finds a home with the two; however, after Bella dies, the child welfare office sends a letter that they are coming to take him since Hec can’t raise him alone. Upset, Ricky flees into the bush with his dog and decides to live as a wild man. It’s not long before he gets lost and Hec finds him. Unfortunately, Paula reports malicious rumors that Hec has kidnapped Ricky and is now on the run with him. The two soon bond quickly and decide that the system is no place for Ricky. Now the duo is on the run as they fight and try to flee the system.
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| Fight the power, Ricky! |
Based on the book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is another shining example of Taika Waititi showing off what a masterful storyteller he is and how he can balance drama and comedy. At the very core of the film, the story revolves around two characters that really have no emotional connection and it focuses on how a strong bond is eventually formed through very unconventional means. When Ricky is first brought to the house, it’s Bella that he finds companionship and feels at home with while Hec is pretty abrasive towards him. When Bella dies, Hec is quick to give up and let Ricky be taken away, so these two are far from friends as the journey begins. The way they transform from their antagonistic behavior to one of respect, admiration and love is fluid, natural, and seamless. For example, on paper it would seem strange that a man would go from being okay with the government taking a foster child away to being completely okay with the idea of accompanying the kid as they flee that same organization but the development of their relationship and the way the plot unfolds flows so naturally that this evolution of the relationship is never in question.
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| "*sniff* This urine is still fresh. They're not far." |
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| I'm not even going to put a bad joke here because I just like this screencap. |
One very strong aspect that assists in their progression and development is the performances from Sam Neill and Julian Dennison. Both of them perfectly encapsulate who exactly the character is and nothing about these core selves are lost as they transition from “we’re stuck together” in a defeated voice to “we’re stuck together” in a happy voice—they don’t change, they just clearly grow and learn. Neill is a typical curmudgeon but one you kinda are charmed by and love anyway and Dennison is just hysterical as the troublemaker but with his heart in the right place Ricky. On paper, their partnership could come off like the generic old guy begrudgingly mentoring the youth that, on the surface, annoys him but, deep down, you know he loves but in practice their relationship is far richer and the chemistry the two actors have is very palpable. These two so effectively make the change and when they truly become partners in crime the fun is just getting started. Neill and Dennison play off each other so well that they make the funny moments hysterical and the dramatic moments extra tender and sweet.
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| After you see dinosaurs move in herds it's kinda hard to get excited about anything else. |
The supporting cast of the film is also doing a tremendous job of bringing life to the world and helping up the stakes for Ricky and Hec and even one providing some support. I really enjoyed Rachel House as the antagonistic government agent Paula. House creates a great balance where she’s clearly the bad guy but she’s cartoonish enough so that her threat level isn’t overwhelming. She’s also backed up by Oscar Kightley as her cop side-kick and she plays a great straight man to his buffoonery. Finally, I really enjoyed seeing one of my personal favorite comedic players; Rhys Darby, show up as the eccentric Psycho Sam. This character is definitely one of the film’s more over-the-top individuals but Darby is able to play him where he seems to fit the reality perfectly and is able to be commanding and funny but not selfishly devouring the scenery and like he’s desperate for laughs. This character could have easily been something that was more grating and felt like a needless detour from the adventure that Hec and Ricky are on but, thanks to the charm and talents of Darby, the scenes with him are very memorable and very, very, very funny and entertaining.
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| The fact this movie has so much great facial hair and Rhys Darby is enough to get it my perfect score. |
As far as drawbacks are concerned, I found absolutely none in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Every aspect of this film, for me, just felt right and was pretty much perfect. I loved the cast, the story is great, and director Taika Waititi expertly balances the heart and humor so that it never feels too silly or too heavy with its drama. All in all, I found this movie to be a terrific and tender film with lots a charm and something that was very funny.
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