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 The Whale Rider Review Sep 03, 2008
I have seen this movie once before, and it was nothing short of inspirational the second time around. The Whangara tribe's faith derives from Paikea, the first Whale Rider. Like many tribal religion, their tribe faces the threats of extinction when the Koro's son fails to give him a male heir to the tribe. Pai, his only daughter, not only faces being orphaned by her father (who left the tribe not being able to face his wife and son's death), but the rejection of her grandfather as the one who would carry on their tribe's legacy. When Pai's father returns, Koro hopes he would become the next chief, but he is gravely disappointed. Pai's father leaves the village once more, this time taking her with him. But, Pai returns. However, Koro continues to become more and more distant towards Pai, believing that she will never be able to fulfill the roles of a Chief in their tribe, even though his wife continues to tell him so. Koro becomes more stressed with the emergence of a beached whale, thinking that it is a sign for the worse. He and the other tribe's people struggle to save its life, but they are unable to. Pai's ability to lead the whale back to safety is finally tested, and with it she gains the title of the Whale Rider, as well as the respect and adoration of Koro.
The Whangara people focus on their ancestral values, animism, and they also embody earth-focused beliefs. This movie not only shows these beliefs in action, but also embodies the struggles that many tribal religions have to face in the world today; movement of their people into the outside world. People leave to find better lives and quickly become accustomed to the lifestyle, never to return to their homes. It also shows the struggle to survive and maintain tradition with the daily threats of the outside world. It is a great movie that enlightens the audience about the many problems faced by people today. However, it still remains deep rooted in the morality and ethics of faith and its existence.
Maori Power Jun 26, 2008
Whale Rider is the story of a young girl whose mother and twin brother died at her birth. This tragedy has profoundly affected her family, which includes her grandfather, who is chief of a long lineage going all the way back to the Maori ancestor called the Whalerider. Her grandfather is strong but stubborn that only a male can be the next chief. He cannot look to his two grown sons for this, and so he creates a school to teach the first-born boys in his village the secret ways of the Maori warrior, in hopes that one of them will emerge as the rightful chief.
The movie is slow and drawn-out, and that is why I rated it four stars instead of five. And, I expected much more at the climax. The performances, setting, music and acting are outstanding. The little girl , her character and the actress, is so inspiring for her courage to follow her own path in the face of constant, withering criticism from the one person she wants to please - her grandfather. Truly, some of the things he says to her are horrible.
I do recommend this film, but younger children might lose interest because of the lack of action. Also, there is some brief, but very crude and inappropriate "guy humour" in one scene at the grandfather's school for boys.
Whale Rider is worth seeing for the outstanding performance of this young girl. I can't wait to see her future projects.
 Erica Asahan Top 50 Movies Of ll time Mar 18, 2008
Erica Asahan Wrote:
This movie was probably one of the best I have seen in decades! I love the main character. Her determination and courage inspired me. I have watched this movie at least a dozen times since I bought it and I just love it!
A beautiful and magical movie Mar 08, 2008
This is a story about the Maori tribe's struggles to carry on their traditions as they have for the past thousand years. However, when the first born son dies during birth and his twin sister, Pai, survives, it creates much tension in the tribe since females are not allowed to be chief under any circumstances. She is constantly shunned as an outcast by her grandfather and most of the tribe. Her grandfather attempts to train their indigenous ways to the other boys while Pai secretly watches from afar. With minimal help from her uncle and from watching the other boys, she learns all of the traditions and performs better than any of the boys trained by her grandfather. With the final test, retrieving the whale tooth, the boys each came up empty handed. While out on the ocean later with her uncle she asks about the tooth and then immediately dives deep to the bottom and finds it much to the dismay of the others. Her grandmother keeps it from her grandfather knowing it would hurt him further and he would never accept it. After her performance one evening, they find the beach covered in whales refusing to return to the sea. Their efforts are useless and Pai, watching from afar, knows why. As the rest of her people begin to leave, she confronts the largest whale and magically returns it, as well as all the others, to the ocean while riding on its back. It is at this point her grandfather finally accepts her special powers and abilities to lead their tribe.
Additionally, this movie reflects many aspects of indigenous people and their religions. The tribe is a very close knit community, typical of many indigenous ways. Pai's beautiful chanting in the Maori language is magical itself along with her emotional storytelling of her family's past. While Pai's grandfather is unable to get the spirits to listen to him and guide him, they do listen to Pai and help guide her through this journey. Pai acts as a shaman with her abilities to return the whales to the ocean. Other examples are the grandfather teaching the other boys a sacred dance and how to fight with the sticks like a warrior, and his token of a whale. The many references to the whales guiding the family are made even with them preventing Pai from moving to Germany with her father. The clash between the tribe's indigenous ways and modern influences are also apparent especially with Pai's father moving away to pursue his artistic talents, thus, leaving his parents to raise her.
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The Human Cost When Ancient Cultures Die Feb 22, 2008
The Whale Rider is fundamentally a beautiful and sad rendition of what happens to men and women when their culture is overcome by a more complex and expanding new culture. What makes this film special is the certainty of the love among all the generations in the community and family, even when individuals are making bad mistakes in how they treat each other. No matter these mistakes, the deep love remains and somehow enriches everyone's lives.
There is a feminist message in the story, but not a bitter, 'men are the enemy' one. There is also a message of how destructive the decline of a traditional culture is to men, how it degrades them and leaves them struggling to maintain honor and decency. All of this is easily accessible to children and adults, and reinforced with magnificent Maori carvings and symbols.
The actors are so exceptional that they do not seem at any time to be actors. You expect that like neighbors they will come knock on your door for tea or coffee, or just to take a walk on the beautiful and yet often gray and cold beaches. You care what happens to these people who seem so real.
This is an international story, a common human story intermigled with the lives of whales in a spiritual and practical way. The resolution of the film is a bit too optimistic and sweet, and contrary to what is likely to happen. Still one hopes it will end that way. In reality, of course, the traditional culture will continue to be overwhelmed because it has not grown and developed, locked to the main islands of New Zealand and not wishing to engage the world any longer. And yet, the carving of the Whale Rider, and the inspiring art work of the canoe, bear testimony that once a very enterprising, adventurous and brave society set out across the uncharted ocean, like cosmonauts across the waters of space, and colonized new lands. The spirit was once there. It will need more than the little girl named after the first Whale Rider to fan its fires for another time. This film makes you wish it would light a fire against the watery fog of the ocean and bring Maoris back to the front lines of growth.
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