Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) dir. Taika Waititi
Venue: Harrie Massey LT
A national manhunt is ordered for a rebellious kid and his foster uncle who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a cute, effective comedy that brims with heart and soul, as well as a hue of Kiwi identity. It’s a modern fairy tale that relies on its cast to work, and provides visually breath-taking escapes not only for its ill-fated protagonists, but the audience in general.
As a non-typical survival tale, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is largely comical despite its undercurrents of heavier subjects – orphan, death, loneliness, and Taika Waititi’s trademark dry humour works pretty well to balance things out here. The striking visuals, thanks to the natural beauty of New Zealand, secures a refreshing touch to the familiar premise, and the chemistry between Julian Dennison and Sam Neill is truly what seals the deal, providing a dazzling storyline of bonding and healing, in an equal parts harsh and gorgeous wilderness setting.
‘Come on, have some breakfast, then you can run away.’
Runtime: 1h41m
