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While 1994's "Once Were Warriors" was a violent look at Maori culture this is easily more upbeat and lyrical. Story starts out in a hospital where a mother has just given birth to twins and the male twin dies as does the mother. The remaining twin is a girl and the film is about her and how she thinks and wants to be the future leader of her village. The film is set in modern day and we see the girl Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes) as a 12 year old who knows that her twin brother that died was suppose to be the future chief. Pai's father is Porourangi (Cliff Curtis) and he's an artist who has left the village for a career and Pai is raised by her grandparents Koro and Nanny (Rawiri Paratene and Vicky Haughton) and she craves the respect from Koro but he is of the old ways and is still searching for a new chief. She wants to learn the ways of being chief but Koro yells at her not to fool with the sacred ways of their people. Women are treated as second class but Pai eavesdrops on Koro's classes with the young boys and learns the ways. The film is directed by Niki Caro and its only her third film but this should definitely put her on everyones list as a great future director. The film is beautiful to look at and even though its not a big budget movie the story and images make this an unforgettable viewing experience. Caro does a wonderful job of allowing the story to tell itself without relying on plot contrivances. Even though the story is more of a fable it still comes across as relevant and believable. One scene in particular stands out and its the one where Pai is receiving an award at school and she has invited Koro to watch her but instead of him making the obligatory entrance, Koro has discovered something more important. The performances are superb and Castle-Hughes gives I think one of the best performances of the year. What makes it so amazing is that its her film debut! You would think that you were watching a seasoned actress but your not! She's incredible to look at and in some scenes she comes across as so strong willed but then in other shots she's just a fun loving young girl. Castle-Hughes conveys both sorrow and pity as she dreams of being a chief. A remarkable performance that was crucial to the film. Without her performance the film would come across as more distant emotionally. The images of Castle-Hughes on the back of the whale as it submerges are so haunting and beautiful and its these scenes that give it a lyrical quality and the emotional impact of the story is impossible to ignore. This is more than just a film its a viewing experience that everyone must see! Beautiful, haunting and a performance that you will never forget. Go see it!

This film, which opened in New York recently, was a total surprise. Director Niki Caro has done wonders in bringing this story to the screen as it shows a different and much simple world than the rat race of our society and the horrible times we live in.

The film presents a glimpse of the Maori society in New Zealand's North Island. Having visited New Zealand, but not being very familiar with the Maori culture, this film was a refreshing way to learn some aspects of it.

The story presented here has a lot to do with pride and tradition, which is a running theme among different cultural groups the world over. It has to do with the frustration of Koro by the defection of his eldest son, the designated heir of hundred years of a bloodline where only the males can carry the knowledge and the legends from one generation to the next.

Because of the rage Porourangi, the eldest son, feels after the death of his wife giving birth to twins, where only the female survives, he leaves his country and the baby girl is taken by the grandparents. The girl, Pai, will grow to be an enchanting girl who will be excluded from the teachings of her grandfather Koro. Even though he loves the girl, he can't deviate in his narrow vision of the world he knows.

Basically, it is a simple story very well told with a great performance by the child actress Keisha Castle-Hughes. This girl has such a strong magnetism while on camera that one tends to forget the rest of the other characters every time she appears. The grandparents are very well portrayed by Rawiri Paratene and Vicky Houghton.

This is a film for all ages to enjoy. Compare it with the latest releases from Hollywood, and it's no wonder to arrive at the conclusion that stories like Whale Rider have such an universal appeal that should be brought to the screen more often because of the positive way they show a society and its people at its best.

A beautifully filmed and convincingly acted treat for the entire family. Adults need NOT beware since the film respects its audience and contains levels of depth suitable for all ages. Although ultimately an upbeat movie, there are some grim plot elements that may not be appropriate for very young or overly sensitive children. However, there's no actual violence or anything truly frightening or morbid.

This is the story of a 12 year old Maori girl who knows that she is born to the destiny her grandfather believes died with her stillborn twin brother. I won't spoil the ending (which is hinted at early on) with specifics, but suffice it to say that the story's ultimate lesson is that change is sometimes as necessary a component of living traditions as repetitive ceremony. And that the Maori must ride that "whale" as bravely as their mythological ancestor rode the whale from Havaiki (a satellite island of Tahiti, NOT Hawaii) to New Zealand. Not to destroy or denigrate their culture, but to ensure its vitality and continuity in the cultural matrix of the modern world.

A great lesson in true cultural diversity without preachy slogans or "politically correct" censorship. It should be shown in all the world's classrooms. Keisha Castle-Hughes is unforgettable as the heroine, and richly deserves the Oscar for which she has been nominated.

Whale Rider is a story of the quest for the new leader of an indigenous Maori tribe living on an island off the coast of New Zealand. Often this type of film ends up making a caricature of the people, accentuating their quaint customs and idiosyncratic behaviors and causing us to smile condescendingly at their ignorance and stunted development. Whale Rider does nothing of the kind. Director Niki Caro treats her subject matter with profound respect, genuine curiosity and effortless grace, while refusing to ignore the signs of cultural disintegration. It is as if we are invited into the Whangara community, and are free to observe comfortably, without fear or embellishment. The 11-year-old first-time actor Keisha Castle-Hughes gives the most astonishing performance by a child that I have ever witnessed, and lifts the movie from being just plain good to a profoundly moving experience. Whale Rider is a tale of the evolution of a culture, wrapped in humor and hope. It is a story of an indomitable spirit. It is a movie about love and change, about the grim realities of life and the marvelous miracles of faith. If you have a chance to see this film, do not miss it!

I don't understand the MPAA. They've actually classified the crude, innuendo-packed "Austin Powers" in the same category as "Whale Rider." It's a sign of the times, really. I just don't get it.

"Whale Rider" has a positive message for young girls (and boys). The "brief language" the MPAA is so concerned about is inconsequential; I've heard worse in PG movies. (I mean just look at "E.T." and that's considered a "classic" family movie.) The "drug content"? Well, there's a very brief reference to smoking pot, and that is it. It's worth pointing out the heroine refuses to smoke dope, an inspiring message, but oh no - dope is still dope and the MPAA doesn't want that in a PG! But oh yeah you can show underage sex in "Big" and the MPAA doesn't care at all. You can also say the F-word in "Big" (by a child no less) and nope, apparently it doesn't matter. And yes PG-13 did exist in 1988 when "Big" was released, so why the contradiction? I don't get it.

"Whale Rider" is not a great movie and it's familiar for anyone who's seen an underdog story before. But it's true, inspirational and more authentic than many other such films and paints a really sweet image -- it features a truly inspirational message at its core that every girl should see. Apparently the MPAA believes otherwise.

But don't worry, there's always "Spaceballs" to be seen with your young daughter, what with its genitalia gags, profanity (including the F-word) and other stuff, all in the name of good clean PG-rated entertainment. (Yep, "Spaceballs" was PG, even though some video cases were printed with PG-13 on the back; look it up on IMDb for proof if you need it.)

The MPAA sucks.

I don't use the word "masterpiece" often when reviewing a film but for "Whale Rider," it's an inadequate accolade. This is one of the most moving, beautiful and powerful films I have seen in years.

Screenplay author and director Niki Caro faithfully translated Witi Ihimaera's novel of the same name, a poignant and sometimes sad but ultimately uplifting story of New Zealand Maoris seeking, with the leadership of a difficult, stubborn and often harsh elder to sustain their peoples' values and customs.

Australia and New Zealand are both encountering, in politics and in culture (and often the two are inextricably linked), their shared heritage of white oppression of native peoples. Much of this history is unknown to Americans and Europeans who view Australia through a bird's eye picture of the Sydney Opera House and New Zealand with even fewer associational icons.

Recently, "Rabbitproof Fence" painfully depicted the policy of Australia to force lighter skin aborigines into "schools" where they would be nurtured to become "semi-whites" and then married to those of similar skin tone. The object was to bleach the blackness out of Australia and the horrors of this incarnation of cultural and anthropological genocide are on full display in that film.

"Whale Rider" takes a different and, in the end, perhaps a more powerful approach. There are virtually no whites in the film and only children's t-shirts and some music blasting from a boombox suggests the encroaching force of the controlling majority.

The cast is unknown to Americans and their names can be found on the IMDb homepage for the film. The lead actress, however, must be named. In the role of "Pai," a young girl whose mother dies at her birth along with her twin brother, is the extraordinary Keisha Castle-Hughes. She imbues every scene with a commanding and inviting vitality. Hers is an Academy Award (and any other major award) performance.

Pai's father left New Zealand for Europe, there to create and sell Maori crafts. She lives with her grandmother and grandfather, the latter some sort of unelected chieftain of the oceanside community. Bitter that no male heir will succeed him and alternately cruel and loving to his reluctantly acknowledged granddaughter, Koro starts a school to supplement the young boys' secular education with inculcation of the ways of the Maori. Pai wishes to join as an equal and is firmly, indeed harshly rebuffed at every turn.

If the Maori language has the phrase "You go, girl!," then it be directed towards the indefatigable but not arrogant Pai. It would have been easy to make her the kind of thoughtless rebel that nature often programs teenagers to be. The depth of her character resides in her simultaneous quest for equality and her understanding of her grandfather's unyielding attachment to patriarchal values. Pai's close relationship with her grandmother, a woman living a life universally recognizable to Americans, provides warmth and support and do some of her other relationships.

The story unfolds seamlessly with Maori music and rituals bridging the spoken dialogue (mostly in English, some in Maori with subtitles).

Partly a straight tale, partly a gripping mystical fable, "Whale Rider" never becomes saccharine.

The music and Maori songs complement but do not compete with the dialogue, a welcome change from many movies today. The land and the ocean are rawly gorgeous.

As in Australia, relations today between New Zealand's indigenous people and the descendants of their vanquishers are sometimes tense. There are open wounds from continuing political collisions over land and culture. The Maoris are not a monolith and internal dissension is active. Serious attempts to sustain Maori values and culture in the face of assimilative pressures meet with varied degrees of success (in Koro's Maori school the kids wear t-shirts with rock themes and one has a shirt advertising an upstate New York resort area if I saw correctly). New Zealand's most internationally renowned Maori is the opera diva Kiri te Kanawa who is now dedicated to Maori cultural restoration projects. "Whale Rider" can only give a boost to such efforts which, as this film shows, makes not only New Zealand but the world richer.

This is a film I will acquire on DVD as soon as it is available.

10/10.

A present day New Zealand community of Maori tribe people is waiting for the sign of a new chief to be born and lead the village and it's community to greatness. Many have been born, but for the village elder all have been disappointments. The beginning of the movie starts out with the birth of 2 fraternal twins, with the grandfather patiently awaiting the birth of the son. Unfortunately the boy dies while the girl lives, and resentful is the elder who blames the girl for the sons death since he was the last recent hope for the village to gain a chief.

Then something happens as the film flashes forward 12 years. The girl "Pai" (pie), is discovering that her community needs her, and all the signs point that she must lead her people. There is only one problem. The chief must be a man.

It's at this point the film literally becomes a simple story, as a young girl goes about trying to convince her awful grandfather that she is to lead the village. Many obligatory scenes are set up, and we all see the pre-destination, but it is the transformation that the viewer witnesses that is so powerful, and a payoff that can only be described as awe-inspiring.

Incredibly touching, deeply moving, wonderfuly acted, and beautiful cinematography, it's not small surprise why this film is a winner. Pai is a complete scene stealer, and it's finally nice to see Cliff Curtis show off some true acting skills. For Cliff who has played everything from a tattoed Hispanic gang leader in Training Day, to a Arab villan in the Majestic, it's pleasing to see him in a character that mirror's his true national identity since he is actually a New Zealander and not a Hispanic or Arab person. He must be incredibly proud to be part of this special film. The actors who played the grand parents are exceptional particularly the stubborn grandfather who's demands Pai keep away from all male activities (The grandfather's insistence to teach a young group of boys in a special school how to be chiefs, and Pai's insistence to learn without her gradfather's knowledge provides most of the light humour in the film).

Amazing film easily one of the best of the year

Rating 9 out of 10.

I have had "Whale Rider" on the shelf at home for quite some time without watching it. That happens many times with me since i feel that i sometimes have to have a certain mood to appreciate a certain movie. When i finally did see "Whale Rider" it was a mixed experience.

What first and foremost stood out in my opinion was the amazing lead actress. A 12-year old girl who expressed so much emotion and felt so genuine. A real gem to say the least. The acting part was generally solid all around. The trouble for me was rather in the script department. I understand what the director wanted to say with this movie. I'm just not sure he chose the right way to say it. Maybe it also has to do with my own expectations in this case. I was expecting something like a rather straight-forward drama when what we get is something bordering on a modern-day fairy-tale.

Parts of the movie are undoubtedly effective and at times it's touching. Much of the time though i had a really hard time relating to the characters and their problems. Which of course is a huge obstacle when watching a movie like this one, so much based on emotions.

It's not a bad movie, yet it failed to touch me the way i hoped it would. Watch it for the amazing acting of (then) 12-year old Keisha Castle-Hughes if nothing else. I rate it 6/10.

Slow pace but never boring. Small girl 'Paikea' touches your heart with her quiet strength and determination. Time and again, she faces prejudice from her grandfather whom she never gives up loving. Her grandpa loves her too, but tradition and the single-mindedness that Paikea will never be the leader of their tribe forces him to refrain from showing his true emotions towards his only granddaughter. But young Paikea never gives up; she respects grandpa's decision and masks her desire to become the whale rider of her tribe.

The remarkably beautiful and serene scenery of New Zealand complements the eventual inner peace that Paikea achieves. To save the whales their tribe loves so much, she shows remarkable calmness in guiding the whales back into sea despite death staring her straight in the face.

An inspiring and well-executed film.

As usual, critics and film festivals have found yet another generic "inspirational" story to slobber over. The film takes one of the must cliched plots in history (girl overcoming what men think she can't) and layers it with flat dialogue and cardboard cut-out characters. All the events in the film are purposely put there to force either sympathy or hope on the audience, and thus loses all real emotional value. You may connect with the film, but I could not because I've seen this story before over and over with a different title each time. I knew all the events that were going to happen and how each character would react. It's writing in its most elementary state. A bad screenplay is the film's crippling element. It is sad, because the film does contain good things. Yes, the cinematography is just beautiful, perfectly capturing the natural beauty of New Zealand. And the acting was phenomenal as well. Keisha Castle-Hughes provides an a captivating performance, all the more impressive given her age and the flaccid material she had to work with. The supporting cast is also rounded nicely, and it was nice to see Cliff Curtis do something other than a villain.

Still, this is a movie that should be on TV and not in the art houses. It had all the ingredients of a good movie except the most vital: a good screenplay.

4/10

I was fortunate to be in a packed screening last night of the 2nd ever showing of "Whale Rider" at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival. This film had the entire audience enraptured with the adventures and struggles of its 11 year old heroine Pai (very convincingly played by novice actress Keisha Castle-Hughes). I think by the sound of sniffling and sight of hankies being drawn, that most of us were in tears for the entire third act. Director and screenplay writer Niki Caro ably brings this family oriented tale to life and hits all the right notes and makes all the correct pay-offs in every plot strand (no matter how slight).

The story is a battle of wills between the tradition bound village elder Koro (solidly played by Rawiri Paratene) and his own grand-daughter Pai. Koro is seeking a new chief among the first-born sons of his village to inspire their tribe in its present day struggles in 21st century New Zealand. Pai senses in her heart that she is that new chief (despite her gender) and will not give up her quest to prove herself worthy of the task, even if she has to do her training surreptitiously outside of the eye of her beloved (but unbending) grandfather. This is all filmed in the actual Whangara tribal areas on the North Island east coast with the enthusiastic participation of the present day descendants of the original whale rider Paikea, who, as legend has it, was brought to shore on the back of a whale.

Although this film deals with a small corner of the planet, its values and inspiring messages are universal and should find a welcome audience everywhere. Everyone is already familiar with New Zealand as the location setting for Peter Jackson's epic trilogy of the Lord of the Rings and now they have a chance to discover something about the real people who live there and their heritage. Highly recommended. A 10 out of 10!

If you have lost your belief in magic, perhaps this is a tale you need to hear about a film you need to see. It is the story of a thirteen-year-old girl, a class clown, a show-off. When strangers invaded her classroom one day, she continued to do what she was used to doing, playing the fool, thus attracting the strangers' attention.

The strangers cast her as the lead in a film. Though it looked like a small film to begin with, it turned out to be an international blockbuster. Then one day, she read in the newspaper that she had been nominated for the most prestigious acting award in the entire world. Her first acting performance had catapulted her from obscurity to the winner's circle, in competition with Diane Keaton, Samantha Morton, Charlize Theron and Naomi Watts for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Keisha Castle-Hughes is the youngest person ever to be nominated for best actress by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Anna Paquin, discovered by the same casting agent, won an Oscar in 1993 for The Piano, but that was for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Yet she was not the youngest. In 1973, Tatem O'Neal won for Paper Moon at the ripe old age of ten.

So, we have established that fairy tales can still come true, but not without the proper vehicle, and I do not mean a pumpkin drawn by white mice. The vehicle in this instance is a very carefully designed and orchestrated film. And where do great films start? With the writer(s), of course.

Another fairy tale? Witi Ihimaera is the first Maori writer ever to have published both a book of short stories and a novel. He says he was sitting in his New York home one day overlooking the Hudson River when he saw a whale breach the waterline. A whale in the Hudson River? Mr. Ihimaera took it as a sign.

Inspired by stories of ancient tradition that streamed into his mind, over the next three weeks, Mr. Ihimaera wrote The Whale Rider. It is this one work of his that the Maori community accepts as being most representative of their culture, and the novel that became the backbone for the screenplay for the film Whale Rider (co-written by Witi Ihimaera and director Niki Caro).

Maori legend tells of a great man, Paikea, who came many ages ago riding o n the back of a whale and landed on the shores of a new world. He left word that someday another great whale rider would be born to lead the Maori people.

The film begins with a scene in a hospital of a young woman giving birth to twins. The boy is stillborn. With her last breath, she whispers to her husband, `Paikea, Paikea.' The remaining girl child is blessed with that name as the mother dies.

Paikea's father, Porourangi (Cliff Curtis), crushed by the loss of his wife, departs his homeland, leaving Paikea in the caring hands of his parents, Koro and Nanny Flowers. `Pai' grows and becomes strong in the teachings of her people, yet she hears an inner voice as well.

Koro, her grandfather, is the chief of his people. When he sees that his son will not return, he begins to train the local boys in the ways of leadership. Pai believes that she could become the leader of her people, but her grandfather, though he loves her, rejects her.

Pai cannot be daunted; she is tougher than any of the boys. She hides around corners and eavesdrops as the boys are trained, learning the lessons, dance, movements and traditional ceremonies of her people.

Once he feels they are ready, Koro takes the boys out in a boat on the ocean and here he removes the carved whale's tooth, symbol of the chief, from around his neck, tossing it into the water. Though they try, none of the boys is able to retrieve it.

Here, the film takes a turn, one that is somewhat unexpected, and one that sets this film apart from the run of the mill. As part of a school pageant, Pai has written a work in honor of her people and has asked her grandfather to attend. It is this performance of the young woman that tests her skills as an actress, and is certainly one of the most touching moments in the film.

The rest of the film does not hinge so much on whether Pai's grandfather attends her performance or not. Something else occurs. Seven whales have beached themselves on the shore. Paikea has called the whales and they have responded to her call. As the people of the village struggle to help the whales return to the ocean before they die, Koro's other son shows him the carved whale's tooth.

`Which of the boys got it?' Koro asks. His son tells him it wasn't one of the boys. `It was she,' he says, pointing to Paikea, now sitting on the back of the biggest of the whales.

There is a very big difference in a film made for twelve-year-old girls and a film about a twelve-year-old girl, especially one on the threshold of womanhood. This is a film about traditions, about beliefs, about growing up, about magic, and about love.

Director Niki Caro transcends ordinary film making with Whale Rider. The film played to standing ovations at both the Toronto and Sundance film festivals, and with good reason. It is not a film that tells us anything is possible. It shows us. It does not sink into despair over the disappearing way of life of the Maori people. It shows us that any group of people, any tribe or village, any nation, can survive and even prosper if we rely on what we feel in our hearts.

There is, of course, nothing wrong with a movie version of a fairy tale, but what is wrong with Whale Rider is that it presents the fairy tale as if it were reality. A little bit of sentimentality is not so bad, but if it takes the place of deep felt sentiment, then there is something wrong. Sentimentality is a short cut to the emotions. In Whale Rider, real problems of indigenous people attempting to live meaningful lives in a profoundly changed world, are made a mockery of by an unrealistic staging and a solution which makes one think of the choo-choo train that said "I can, I can" and therefore could. But, you see, the little girl in the movie simply couldn't do what the viewer is supposed to believe she could. All through the movie, we are led to believe that her grandfather is the sole surviver of a tribe, who still believes in the old rites and tries to foist the patriarchal suppression on to the girl. At the end of the movie, we suddenly find a whole chorus line of dancers who are all very well-versed in the rituals. They seem to have been sprouted out of the ground by the superhuman capabilities of the little girl. The movie follows a certain Hollywood pattern which Australian movies at times have been able to avoid, of the Rambo type (the underdog wins by trying hard enough) and the Godfather type (forget what an s.o.b. the bad guy is and never mind the victims).

I don't use the word "masterpiece" often when reviewing a film but for "Whale Rider," it's an inadequate accolade. This is one of the most moving, beautiful and powerful films I have seen in years.

Screenplay author and director Niki Caro faithfully translated Witi Ihimaera's novel of the same name, a poignant and sometimes sad but ultimately uplifting story of New Zealand Maoris seeking, with the leadership of a difficult, stubborn and often harsh elder to sustain their peoples' values and customs.

Australia and New Zealand are both encountering, in politics and in culture (and often the two are inextricably linked), their shared heritage of white oppression of native peoples. Much of this history is unknown to Americans and Europeans who view Australia through a bird's eye picture of the Sydney Opera House and New Zealand with even fewer associational icons.

Recently, "Rabbitproof Fence" painfully depicted the policy of Australia to force lighter skin aborigines into "schools" where they would be nurtured to become "semi-whites" and then married to those of similar skin tone. The object was to bleach the blackness out of Australia and the horrors of this incarnation of cultural and anthropological genocide are on full display in that film.

"Whale Rider" takes a different and, in the end, perhaps a more powerful approach. There are virtually no whites in the film and only children's t-shirts and some music blasting from a boombox suggests the encroaching force of the controlling majority.

The cast is unknown to Americans and their names can be found on the IMDb homepage for the film. The lead actress, however, must be named. In the role of "Pai," a young girl whose mother dies at her birth along with her twin brother, is the extraordinary Keisha Castle-Hughes. She imbues every scene with a commanding and inviting vitality. Hers is an Academy Award (and any other major award) performance.

Pai's father left New Zealand for Europe, there to create and sell Maori crafts. She lives with her grandmother and grandfather, the latter some sort of unelected chieftain of the oceanside community. Bitter that no male heir will succeed him and alternately cruel and loving to his reluctantly acknowledged granddaughter, Koro starts a school to supplement the young boys' secular education with inculcation of the ways of the Maori. Pai wishes to join as an equal and is firmly, indeed harshly rebuffed at every turn.

If the Maori language has the phrase "You go, girl!," then it be directed towards the indefatigable but not arrogant Pai. It would have been easy to make her the kind of thoughtless rebel that nature often programs teenagers to be. The depth of her character resides in her simultaneous quest for equality and her understanding of her grandfather's unyielding attachment to patriarchal values. Pai's close relationship with her grandmother, a woman living a life universally recognizable to Americans, provides warmth and support and do some of her other relationships.

The story unfolds seamlessly with Maori music and rituals bridging the spoken dialogue (mostly in English, some in Maori with subtitles).

Partly a straight tale, partly a gripping mystical fable, "Whale Rider" never becomes saccharine.

The music and Maori songs complement but do not compete with the dialogue, a welcome change from many movies today. The land and the ocean are rawly gorgeous.

As in Australia, relations today between New Zealand's indigenous people and the descendants of their vanquishers are sometimes tense. There are open wounds from continuing political collisions over land and culture. The Maoris are not a monolith and internal dissension is active. Serious attempts to sustain Maori values and culture in the face of assimilative pressures meet with varied degrees of success (in Koro's Maori school the kids wear t-shirts with rock themes and one has a shirt advertising an upstate New York resort area if I saw correctly). New Zealand's most internationally renowned Maori is the opera diva Kiri te Kanawa who is now dedicated to Maori cultural restoration projects. "Whale Rider" can only give a boost to such efforts which, as this film shows, makes not only New Zealand but the world richer.

This is a film I will acquire on DVD as soon as it is available.

10/10.

At first glance, Whale Rider seems to be just another PC flick affirming girls' ability to do or be anything that guys can do or be. The Maori setting gives it an exotic edge that many films in that category often lack; and it also provides a bit of distance from our own society that makes it seem a little less in-your-face than other formulaic battle-of-the-sexes PC stories. The cultural separation also makes it easier to accept the characters' actions and words more plausibly authentic than in other stories in that genre that are set in our own familiar settings whose characters feel more contrived and unnatural. So it is a clear notch above other stories aimed at shattering sexual discrimination. But in the end, it still occupies that formulaic PC niche.

After many months of watching films of which the best deserved IMDb ratings of six. seven or eight, I viewed this really exceptional film that I felt deserved at least double anything else I had seen recently, so a comparative rating of 15 would not have seemed out of place. This, and the many 'best film' awards it has received from film festival audiences, leave me with little doubt that here we have a classic of the future. Surprisingly it comes into that most difficult of categories - the family film - not a film that Dad can sleep through whilst the kids enjoy it, or one which gives Dad and Mum some pleasure whilst the kids wish they had not been dragged away from the telly, but a film that can really be enjoyed by all the family - except perhaps teenage boys at the age where their horizons have just widened to the extent that they are interested only in films featuring unrelenting action and adventure, preferably accompanied by unremitting violence.

The DVD of 'Whale Rider' was released in 2004 but it never attracted me greatly. and getting round to watching it has taken me some time. There are so many films of a similar type where the story sounds very admirable and wholesome, but experience warns that the combination of a cast of enthusiastic and largely non-professional actors, a limited budget, and over-enthusiastic direction by somebody not fully understanding the limitations of the medium, often culminates in a rather mawkish product. The fear that this might have happened here has kept me away for a long time. To anyone else in this position let me recommend getting a disk and giving it a spin as soon as possible.

Admittedly promoters of such films take a considerable risk - often their final budget stands or falls largely on the performance of the star. The rest of the cast are essentially ordinary people playing themselves and even though they may not have much acting experience, their parts are not too demanding so minor imperfections are often not too disruptive. But one minor glitch in the performance of the star can break the spell which is created when the audience begins to feel involved in the story and concerned about what happens to the individuals portrayed. This is essentially a film by a woman director about feminine empowerment, but not the sterile antagonistic type which looks for a world run exclusively by women (preferably with only a few men left around to keep the sperm banks well stocked). Here we are looking at the true equality that first began to be recognised during the World Wars of the twentieth century when everyone understood there was an enormous task to accomplish and we could never finish it unless we harnessed the full abilities of everyone in our society. This is a film from New Zealand where the leaders of a traditionally male dominated Maori culture, badly disrupted by the impact of the more sophisticated civilization of western settlers, are attempting to go back to their roots to avoid being totally absorbed into the new colonial culture but remain unable to fully recognise that women must play a vital part in any process of cultural regeneration. This film, based on a book by the first Maori author to have a work published in North America, is a fictional fable that shows one way in which such an essential change to the fundamental structure of their traditional culture might take place.

This may not sound like the basis for an enjoyable film for a Western family audience, but the host of best film awards it has received does convey some sense of the extent to which it is a very exceptional movie. Although almost everyone involved played their full part in its success; it was ultimately the outstanding Oscar nominated performance given by its star which made the film memorable. Keisha Castle-Hughes was 12 years old when this was filmed and it won her the youngest ever Best Actress nomination. If there were only more young actors of this calibre, we might have more films fostering positive values in society, rather than often competing to outdo each other in violence, horror or degradation. Incidentally, but more importantly, we might also begin to find that the former films are capable of providing us all, including the younger generation, with a generally more enjoyable viewing experience.

The Maori are a people with a long tradition going back generations... starting with the "whale rider" who brought his people to the island they live on now, descended up through the current chief. But the chief's first born son has moved away and abandoned Maori principles. And when his wife has a child, it is a girl. The chief must turn to outside his family to find a suitable new chief while his granddaughter is ready, willing and able.

I watched this movie with my friend Chelsea and we looked at it from two very different angles. She sees it as a break from tradition, a new generation adapting the old principles to their own culture. A new world where a woman is capable of being chief. And I certainly see that as the primary story, where the young girl is subjected to torment from her grandfather (who is loving but comes across as a cruel, inhuman beast at times).

But I also tried to put myself in the chief's shoes. Was he a misogynist? Perhaps, though I don't think so. He had the weight of tradition on his shoulders, he had an entire race of people depending on him to keep the lineage intact and culture strong. And he firmly believed that this was how the elders wanted things to be. Compare this to many Christian religions that have only male elders -- while the followers may be accepting of women (and outsiders strongly encourage their acceptance) when your deity tells you to do things a certain way, what choice do you have? Granted, the chief should have seen the signs, but tradition is strong.

Did the young actress deserve an Oscar nomination for this film? It's debatable. The film was pretty good, and her acting was pretty phenomenal for someone so young. Sure, she didn't do her on swimming scenes, but she produced the tears and those stoic looks. And, as I couldn't stop noticing, she definitely deserved an Oscar for "best hair". (It's interesting to notice all the islanders are very native-looking, but she looks glamorous even as a child).

For a story of a people who must abandon tradition and accept the new order, this is pretty good. And being the Maori, it's especially powerful. Fewer and fewer native peoples are retaining their traditions, so it's both welcoming and sad to see one of the last hangers-on experience a paradigm shift.

One of the best films ever: the power of myth, the tenacity of culture, a prophesy fulfilled, the quintessence of human heroism, and the satisfaction of a child's need for her family's love. The unswayable force of one girl's destiny. This film has it all, and is powerfully delivered by a child actor with virtually no acting experience. She is a realistic hero, and the milestones of her heroism can be delightfully measured. If you have a daughter, you must share this film with her. These sorts of films do not come along often.

If this film interests you, you might want to see Broken English. Also set in New Zealand, it also contains Maori culture.

This is a nicely made fairy tale for feminists and tree huggers. There is not much else to say.

This movie is a no brainer yawn of a story for all those who think that glorifying false and contradictary premises makes for fine movies. Fifteen minutes into the movie, I was truly bored by the tedious pace and the obvious story line of the movie. Everything the girl would do had to be better than any boy who ever lived. The tribal men are brutish, crude, chauvinistic, good for nothing drinkers, dead enders. The tribal women are humorous, cynical, wise, industrious. If only the men had let the women run the tribe, their hopeless lives would have been worth living. After all, they were in the garden of eden in their homes by the sea, while they lived quiet lives of desperation, their tribal community degenerating around them. No problem, not to worry in this story when you have the perfect child in your midst. We have the perfect girl to lead the tribe back to respectability even though her greatness was not immediately appreciated by the tribal elder, her grandfather, because the girl was after all only about ten or eleven. Nope, not until she talked the whales into beaching and then rode one of them out to sea could her greatness be recognized by one and all. By then the good part was that it was time to go home. Save your money and do not watch this clunk of a skunk fairy tale for the politically correct.