Cinafilm has over 5 million movie reviews and counting …
Sitemap
Search

Last updated: 19 Jul 2026 at 06:47 UTC

Back to movie details

Review of by Richmond1210 — 02 Mar 2013

Share
Tweet

Whale Rider is a film about a young girl named Paikea who struggles to be taken seriously by her grandfather. It is a highly emotional and gripping story which has you at the edge of your seat from start to finish.

It is set in Whandara, New Zealand. It is based on the legend of Paikea and it shows us how the Maori tradition works and operates. The main character, Keisha Castle-Hughes, stars as Paikea and wants to become the leader of the Maori tribe.

She plays a very convincing role and looks like she badly wants to be the leader of the Maori tribe. Rawiri Paratene plays Paikea’s grandfather and is unsure if Paikea is really capable of being a leader, but is shown throughout the story that she is indeed worthy.

The soundtrack used in the movie keeps us on the edge of our seat and the camera work really helps the viewer get an idea of the Maori culture and the way that the characters are feeling. This movie teaches us that anyone, regardless of their age or gender, can be a leader.

The storyline can sometimes be quite challenging to follow for someone that does not know much about the Maori culture, but in conclusion, Whale Rider is a great movie for any age group. It has powerful morals, fantastic actors and a great storyline.

This review of Whale Rider (2003) was written by on 02 Mar 2013.

Whale Rider has generally received positive reviews.

Was this review helpful?

Yes
No

More Reviews of Whale Rider

More reviews of this movie

Reviews of Similar Movies

More Reviews

Share This Page

Share
Tweet

Popular Movies Right Now

Movies You Viewed Recently

Get social with CinafilmFollow us for reviews of the latest moviesCinafilm - TwitterCinafilm - PinterestCinafilm - RSS