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There’s this belief system that a
majority of substantive children’s movies can be found within the realms
of animation. Better yet, how can a legitimate kiddie flick get the stamp
of approval without having the famed Disney label anointed on it? Well,
there’s one engaging children’s tale that doesn’t fall into either of the
aforementioned categories. Filmmaker Niki Caro’s involving New Zealander
narrative Whale Rider is such an absorbing example of being that rare
children’s film that incorporates the essential ingredients of substance
and style. Poignant, intelligent, courageous and informative, Caro’s
lyrical exposition dares to take on the imagination of children and their
adult counterparts and whisk them away in a somber storytelling mood
that’s culturally compelling. Youngsters will always have the fluffy fare
that keeps them entertained while providing them the nourishment
equivalent to that of a bowl of sugary candy. However, Whale Rider will
become the nutritious veggies that can be slipped in their diet without
them even realizing how unassumingly tasty this tribal treat really is.
Whale Rider tells the fascinating story of a traditional kind of people,
the Maori tribe. Legend has it that the Maoris arrived in New Zealand many
generations ago while riding on the backs of whales that graciously
ensured their safety on the seashores of a new exotic place. Because of
this aged old historical event, it is believed that the Maori tribe and
the symbolic whale had cultivated a bond to the point that there’s a
traditional connection between man and this particular beast. Of course,
the connection being that the Maori tribe can actually communicate with
the mighty sea creatures. Naturally, the relationship between the Maori
tribe and their love and respect for the impressive sea mammal continues
on into contemporary times where the tradition needs to be maintained in
solemn tribute of the forefathers.
We’re eventually introduced to Koro (Rawiri Paratene) who happens to be
the chief of the Maori tribe. Koro realizes that his age is catching up
with him and soon he’ll need to step down as chief. The obvious
replacement to succeed him would be his first-born son Porourangi (Cliff
Curtis). Unfortunately, Porourangi is indifferent to the idea of becoming
chief of the Maori tribe therefore it’s a waste of time for his father to
convince him otherwise. This leaves Koro to focus upon his grandchildren,
Porourangi’s newborn twins. Koro figures that if is disinterested son
doesn’t want to assume the responsibility regarding his heritage then he
might as well keep it in the family and pin his hopes on the upcoming
generation.
Alas, tragedy strikes when Porourangi’s baby boy suddenly dies. This
leaves the surviving sibling Pai, Porourangi’s baby girl. Too distraught
to face this unthinkable loss, Porourangi packs up his bags and heads off
to Europe armed with grief and high expectations to pursue a career in the
arts. Porourangi leaves poor Pai behind so that Koro and his wife Flowers
(Vicki Haughton) can raise the girl since he’s not in the mental frame of
mind to do so.
As we jump ahead to Pai’s (Keisha Castle-Hughes) pre-teen years, we find a
somewhat saddened yet ambitious little girl trying her best to win her
grandfather Koro’s affection. Much like many cultures around the world,
being a female in society automatically grants you the unfair distinction
as being seen as invisible and inconsequential. After all, it’s the valued
male that is looked upon as the dominant one to carry on the lineage and
continued cultural ways of his storied people. And certainly a tough old
bird as Koro is vehemently ardent in keeping this philosophy alive.
Koro’s emotional distance toward his attention-starved granddaughter Pai
is indeed regrettable. But with his blatant neglect of Pai set aside, we
can assume that the crusty codger does in fact love her despite his lack
of acknowledgment. Koro is simply one of those culturally restricting men
from an honored era where respecting tradition and following the
guidelines of cultural correctness is more pressingly urgent than adhering
to the political correctness of showing an equal affection to his
impressionable female charge who adores him to death regardless of his
hardened skin. This is not to say that it’s not inexcusable for Koro to
treat Pai in this disrespectful manner. However, this is an intriguing
familial struggle because we’re looking at a complex man who’s asked to
weigh the options of either recognizing his solid roots of the past versus
making a sacrifice and putting the expected obligations to the side as
chief of a proud people and find the nerve to concentrate on focusing in
the present on his precious young loved one who needs his attention the
most. Should Koro be vilified for his preference to the Maori way of life
over the missing adoration for his emotionally starved granddaughter
looking for acceptance? Or should Koro be commended for his overall
commitment to a treasured tribe and hope that Pai realizes that certain
customs are meant to be even if it means ruining her overall feelings and
self-esteem?
Pai is such an interesting little gal because if she wanted to be
rebellious toward her stubborn grandfather and self-destruct in the
process, this route would have been an understandable one to travel down.
Instead, she does nothing but try to improve her self-worth constructively
by earning Koro’s elusive respect in an attempt to win over his congested
heart by showing him she’s worth the fuss. No doubt the disenchantment of
a healthy selection of mistreated American girl’s Pai’s age may have opted
to delve into drugs or desperately sell their bodies on the streets just
to ease their prolonged disillusionment while trying to hurt their
negligent families with the tool of guilt. But Pai chooses to be studious
and dares for Koro to come up with an excuse as to why she’s not as
relevant as any boy to be regarded in the revered honor of being a whale
rider traditionalist. Pai is a lost little gal that has to cope with male
abandonment issues—first by her departed father at infancy and now by her
paternal grandfather who’s physically there but absent psychologically.
The audience finds themselves pulling for Pai’s persistence in trying to
relieve Koro of his old school notions. Plus, the fact that she’s able to
educate herself about the historical happenings of her people and the
manner in which they cherish their cultural upbringing is uniquely
uplifting. Tell me, how many American preteens would even bother to
voluntarily investigate their past and show reverence in the ancestors
that are responsible for their existence now? And this doesn’t even apply
to the parents or grandparents that literally force their young offspring
to care. Pai’s amazing in that she embodies the passion of her people. She
can speak the language, sing the songs, cite historical references and
most importantly relate to the whale calling ritual—something that her
obstinate grandfather just doesn’t want to fully digest. Yet he would
rather kill himself in trying to lure the local village boys into
force-feeding them the opportunity to partake into an activity that his
own flesh-and-blood granddaughter can do with her eyes closed. It
particularly hurts to see Pai observe how determined Koro is when it comes
to winning over strangers yet he cannot relate to her on any level, or
refuses to for that matter. And the funny thing is that we all know that
Pai would make for an excellent whale rider and would smoke out any of the
awkward male competition that Koro feels so obligated to drool over.
Whale Rider may seem like a disheartening artsy children’s film in that
the theme of rejection isn’t exactly the tone that folks would want their
kids to be subjected to per se. But let’s face facts, this is a part of
life and children need to know that the perfect family dynamic is nothing
but a myth. Everyday people face loss in one form or the other. On the
contrary Caro’s intimate fable isn’t depressing but overtly empowering,
particularly for young girls in general looking to overcome the stigma
that they aren’t worthy of consideration in a male-dominated environment.
Caro is shrewdly profound in the way she delivers a slightly disturbing
yet revealing look at youthful feminism from the eyes of an oppressed
youngster looking to make her distinctive mark regardless of the
troublesome stacked deck that was seemingly against her from the get go.
All around, the performances are convincingly heartfelt and solid.
Newcomer Castle-Hughes was absolutely riveting as the suffering Pai, a
durable little lady who never lost her composure but chose to push on and
find her inner emotional strength without the support system there to
motivate her progression as someone soon to be arriving on the doorsteps
of young womanhood. Sure, this self-sufficient girl had her self-doubts as
we all do. And for her confidence to be tested by a hard-shelled guardian
who cannot look past his own dysfunctional prison only magnifies
Castle-Hughes’s Pai’s resiliency all the more in forethought.
Paratene shines as the aloof Koro, a clueless creature of habit that’s
stuck between time periods and perhaps conveniently uses the Maori agenda
as a clever buffer to promote his inability to grow with contemporary
times that he feels may endanger the golden age of his tribe’s sanctioned
yesteryear. Thoroughly, Paratene’s Chief Koro is a wounded soul and
doesn’t realize that his personal agony is also the inherited affliction
that plagues the well-rounded granddaughter he blindly scoots away. Both
characterizations are hurting and its Caro’s sensitive yet firm direction
that brings out the riveting vibes within their biting vulnerability.
Whereas a majority of children’s fare contains the usual traces of
manipulation in its presentation, Whale Rider is sophisticated enough to
control its sentimentality and let the story breathe its poetic honesty.
It doesn’t hurt that Rider is beautifully shot and that the vibrant images
of beautiful beached whales adds to the glorified mystique being portrayed
in the Maori subtext. Truly, Caro’s captivating coming-of-age examination
is something that shouldn’t be missed by anyone who appreciates rewarding
filmmaking. |
