|
|
| Although
Pai is not eligible to be the new leader because of her gender, she
knows at some mystical level that she is the one called to continue
the line of leaders. In being "The One" she might be compared to Neo
in The Matrix series or with Harry Potter. |
WHALE
RIDER
(2002) Film Review by
DARREL MANSON |
| This
page was created on July 5, 2003
This page was last updated on
May 29, 2005
—Review
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections
—Forum
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| CREDITS |
| Directed
by Niki Caro
Novel by Witi Ihimaera
Screenplay by Niki Caro
Keisha Castle-Hughes .... Pai
Rawiri Paratene .... Koro
Vicky Haughton .... Nanny Flowers
Cliff Curtis .... Porourangi
Rawinia Clarke .... Miro
Tammy Davis .... Willie
Grant Roa .... Uncle Rawiri
Mana Taumaunu .... Hemi
Rachel House .... Shilo
Taungaroa Emile .... Dog
Mabel Wharekawa .... Maka
Mabel Warekawa-Butt .... Maka
Tahei Simpson .... Miss Parata
Roi Taimana .... Rewi
Elizabeth Skeen .... Rehua
Tyronne White .... Jake
Taupua Whakataka-Brightwell .... Ropata
Tenia McClutchie-Mita .... Wiremu
Peter Patuwai .... Bubba
Rutene Spooner .... Parekura
Riccardo Davis .... Maui
Apiata Whangaparita-Apanui .... Henare
Produced
by
John Barnett .... producer
Bill Gavin .... executive producer
Linda Goldstein Knowlton .... executive producer
Frank Hübner .... producer
Witi Ihimaera .... associate producer
Tim Sanders .... producer
Original Music by Lisa Gerrard
Cinematography by Leon Narbey
Film Editing by David Coulson
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for brief language and a momentary
drug reference.
Runtime: 105 min
For rating reasons, go to FILMRATINGS.COM,
and MPAA.ORG.
Parents, please refer to PARENTALGUIDE.ORG
|
| TRAILERS
AND CLIPS |
| —Trailers,
Photos |
| CD |
Whale
Rider (Score)
Lisa Gerrard
Lisa Gerrard, the former voice of Dead Can Dance, returns with a
soundtrack following on her acclaimed scores to Gladiator (with
Hans Zimmer) and The Insider (with Pieter Bourke). Those hoping
for another glimpse into ecstasy through Gerrard's magnificent voice
will be disappointed. This score to the New Zealand-set film relies
more on texture and mood, with Gerrard's voice planted in a slowly
undulating drift of synthesizers and sustained guitar lines. It's
not until "Biking Home" that you might even recognize
Gerrard's voice in this quietly joyful mood piece. She only gives
herself full, if understated, voice on the symphonic closing track,
"Go Forward" which echoes Gladiator's "Now We Are
Free," but with Maori chanting. Though there is some compelling
music on Whale Rider, much of it sounds bereft without the accompanying
images. --John Diliberto
1. Paikea Legend ListenMusic ListenMusic 2. Journey Away ListenMusic
ListenMusic 3. Rejection ListenMusic ListenMusic 4. Biking Home
ListenMusic ListenMusic 5. Ancestors ListenMusic ListenMusic 6.
Suitcase 7. Pai Calls The Whales 8. Reiputa 9. Disappointed 10.
They Came To Die 11. Pai Theme 12. Paikea's Whale 13. Empty Water
14. Waka In The Sky 15. Go Forward
|
| BOOK |
|
The
Whale Rider
by Witi Ihimaera (Author)
Book Description
Eight-year-old Kahu, a member of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New
Zealand, fights to prove her love, her leadership, and her destiny.
Her people claim descent from Kahutia Te Rangi, the legendary "whale
rider." In every generation since Kahutia, a male heir has
inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir, and
the aging chief is desperate to find a successor. Kahu is his only
great-grandchild--and Maori tradition has no use for a girl. But
when hundreds of whales beach themselves and threaten the future
of the Maori tribe, it is Kahu who saves the tribe when she reveals
that she has the whale rider's ancient gift of communicating with
whales.
About the Author
Witi Ihimaera, a prolific writer and editor in New Zealand, is the
author of numerous short-story collections, novels, anthologies,
and nonfiction titles. He was the first Maori writer to publish
a collection of short stories and a novel. A diplomat for many years,
he now teaches English and creative writing at the University of
Auckland.
|
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|
| SYNOPSIS
|
| One
young girl dared to confront the past, change the present and determine
the future. On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people
- or Whangara iwi - believe their presence there dates back a thousand
years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when
his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From
then on, Whangara chiefs - always the first-born, always male - have
been considered Paikea's direct descendants. Pai, an 11-year-old girl
in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe, believes she is destined to be
the new chief. But her grandfather Koro is bound by tradition to pick
a male leader. Pai loves Koro more than anyone in the world, but she
must fight him and a thousand years of tradition to fulfill her destiny. |
Review by
DARREL MANSON BLOG
Pastor,
Artesia Christian Church, Artesia, CA
http://netministries.org/see/churches/ch01198
Darrel
has an incredible love and interest in the cinematic arts. His
reviews usually include independent and significantly important
film.
|
"New
Zealand's indigenous Maori say that their ancestors came to New
Zealand on a canoe. The people of Whangara and the East Coast believe
their ancestor, Paikea, came on the back of a whale. The whale rescued
him when his canoe over-turned." (from Production Notes at the film's
official website)
 Pai
is the descendant and namesake of that whale rider. Through the
years the leadership of the tribe has passed on through the first-born
son generation by generation. Her grandfather has been awaiting
the next leader. His son has no interest and is away living in Europe.
Pai had a twin brother who died at birth along with their mother.
But Pai can't be the one to lead the people, because Pai is a girl.
 Author
of the book,
Witi Ihimaera, "had taken his daughters to a number of action movies,
and they had asked him why in all those movies the boy was the hero
and the girl was the one who was helpless. 'So I decided to write
a novel in which the girl is the hero and I finished Whale Rider
in three weeks.'" (Production notes) But Whale Rider is more than
a "girls can do anything boys can do" film. It is a story about
perseverance, faith, and calling. It looks with great respect at
tradition, but also sees that the limits of tradition can be transcended.
Although
Pai is not eligible to be the new leader because of her gender,
she knows at some mystical level that she is the one called to continue
the line of leaders. In being "The One" she might be compared to
Neo in The Matrix
series or with Harry Potter.
Neither Neo nor Harry Potter really understands what it means to
be The One. Neo must be convinced by the others around him before
he comes to believe in himself. Even though Harry is regarded by
the whole magical world as special, he seems to be adrift in that
world.
Pai on the other hand is well aware of what it mean to be chosen.
Perhaps that is because unlike Neo or Harry, she is grounded in
her tradition. Because she has been living with her grandfather,
she understands the gravity of this calling. She knows the responsibility.
She knows that she is connected with her mythical namesake. She
does not need to be convinced; rather she needs to convince her
community that she is truly called to this role. In this Pai is
akin to Joan of Arc, whose story has often been told in film. (See
especially the silent classic, The Passion of Joan of Arc.)
The most difficult to convince is her grandfather, Porourangi, who
is the keeper of the traditions. Although he loves her dearly, he
rejects her efforts to prove herself worthy of being chief of the
community. The very idea of a girl being chief is abhorrent to him,
because generation after generation, the role has been that of a
first-born son. He even gathers all the first-born children of other
families to test them for leadership. They all fail, leaving Porourangi
depressed and defeated. He has failed to provide a continuity to
the people, culture and tradition.
 Porourangi
is blind to the possibility that Pai could be the next chief. Not
only does he not recognize the possibility, he disdains the possibility,
even to the point of cruelty toward her when she tries to learn
the skills he is trying to teach the boys, or when she tries to
show her mettle.
 How
often we might miss what God has sent us because it doesn't look
like what we expect. We often think of some as too old or too young
to be taken seriously. Or we judge by education or by any number
of criteria such as race, gender or religion. Many failed to recognize
Jesus because he didn't conform to their idea of what the Messiah
would be or how a holy person would act. Yet he was truly The One
that God provided to bless humanity.
Pai's sense of calling led her to persevere in the task she knew
was hers. Even the disapproval of her grandfather could not dissuade
her from her calling. Her calling required a new understanding of
the traditions. She did not reject the tradition. Pai was deeply
tied to the tradition and was even mystically connected to the whales
that were so important to the tradition. It is through being connected
to tradition that we often find the power to fulfill our calling,
even when it is difficult. Pai is a model for all those who are
called to go beyond the limits others see. |
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