Review of Whale Rider (2003) by Mark H — 17 Apr 2010

The Whale Ride is a beautiful story filmed in the panoramic scenery of New Zealand. Right from the start, the cast draw you in as a believable tragedy strikes with the passing of a mother and one of her twins, leaving the daughter Paikea as the only survivor of the birth. Keisha Castle Hughes as Paikea and Rawiri Paratene as Koro as her grandfather and Chief of the Maori people treat us to an incredible performance in the telling of this timeless story.

Paikea?s twin brother that died would have been the rightful chief to take Koro?s place, as Koro?s son Cliff Curtis as Porourangi chose not be. This dilemma causes great unrest for Koro the chief and he struggles to accept Paikea who feels like she is destined to become the leader of the Maori people.

As the ancient story of the Whale Rider goes, a boy named Paikea rode a whale to New Zealand where the Maori people currently live. Koro the village chief tries very hard to find his predecessor, and opens a boy?s school for the first born males to teach them the ancient traditional ways and test their abilities. As the school progresses there is a final test to retrieve a whale?s tooth that Koro throws into the ocean as Koro tells them that one of them will return the tooth to him. With much disappointment and no one returning the tooth Koro goes into a deep silence and calls on the ancient ones to help him. However, the ancestors do not listen to him but to Paikea as she intercedes for her grandfather that she deeply loves and desires to please.

During a scene with Keisha Castle Hughes in the school house singing a song for her grandfather who does not show for her performance, Keisha as Paikea delivers an unforgettable performance with a depth that would be a stretch for the most experienced and most gifted of actors. As she is singing a group of stranded whales appear on the beach and soon it becomes apparent who the new chief will be as if the whales themselves have been summoned for this very moment of revelation.

In terms of relevance to better understanding world religions, this film has it all. The unwritten ways of the Maori people were delivered by Koro through the boy?s school that he started. Also the close relationship to the whales and the people demonstrate the connection that all things are connected, earth, animals and people. And finally the first born of the males to inherit the chief position to be the leader and the prophet of the people. This is a memorable and educational film with gorgeous scenery and brilliant acting.