Review of Once Were Warriors (1994) by Gareth J — 07 Jun 2010
"Once Were Warriors" is a very uncompromising look at a broken family whose father is fueled by only his fists and alcohol. The mother, played wonderfully by Rena Owen, has put up with this lifestyle of booze and bruises until her children start to become involved with the practice, where she desperately tries to save them from the neighborhood's culture.
Temuera Morrison is fantastic in the role of the drunk dad who can be as charming as he is an asshole, beating his wife and then making up for it in the next scene. What is really captivating in this film is the strength of all the performances from the entire cast, especially form the main couple who have many scenes which can be incredibly faithful to real life.
The film itself is a marvel to look at as the extras in the film are covered in a horrendously beautiful array of Maori tattoos which have such detail it is difficult to not look at them. Warriors is an incredibly strong piece of directing, with wonderful performances and a very touching storyline.
This review of Once Were Warriors (1994) was written by Gareth J on 07 Jun 2010.
Once Were Warriors has generally received very positive reviews.
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