Hunt for the Wilderpeople

**Spoiler Alert**

Director: Taika Waititi/Starring: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Taika Waititi, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne and Rhys Darby

Taika Waititi, director of the vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows has a new film set to release later this month called Hunt for the Wilderpeople. If you're attuned to Waititi's screwball sense of humor, you'll no doubt enjoy his latest film, which I found funny, touching and to use an over-worked word--heartwarming. Filmed in his breathtaking native New Zealand, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a movie that works well in spite of its rapidly shifting tones. One moment its dramatic, the next its thrilling then humorously off-the-wall. It is also a movie that might play well in America, with our love (or at least tolerance) for buddy movies. Adapted from the novel Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump, Waititi's film never strays far from comedy. His characters are lively and amusingly odd, as are his heroes; beautifully played by Sam Neill and the young New Zealand actor, Julian Dennison.

A young, troubled boy named Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a ward of New Zealand's child welfare system, arrives at the country home of Hector and Bella Faulkner (Sam Neill and Rima Te Wiata, respectively) with welfare worker Paula Hall (a very funny Rachel House) at his side. Though Bella welcomes him warmly, Ricky's silent skepticism prevails.

Having been bounced around foster homes, Ricky's hooliganism has made him a difficult foster child; a fact Hall is keen to share with Hector and Bella. As Ricky's attempts to become a member of the Faulkner household prove sluggish, Hector keeps a cold, detached distance from the boy. Ricky makes a half-hearted attempt to run away one night but is found by Bella the next morning--a mere 200 meters from home.

In an attempt to make Ricky feel welcome, Bella bakes him a birthday cake and sings an impromptu song that has the boy joyously joining in though Hector's expression is a comic scowl. Bella and Hector give Ricky a dog, which he promptly names Tupac, after his favorite rapper.

Though the Faulkner home is located in hilly, lush surroundings, Ricky finds country life to be eye-openingly earthy when Hector and Bella introduce him to hunting and the bloodier aspects of skinning kills.

As Ricky begins to warm to his new home and Bella's unconditional love, tragedy strikes when he finds Hector sobbing over his wife's collapsed body. Just when you might think the film will become somber, the following scene at Bella's wake shows Waititi's irrepressible sense of humor. During the sparsely-attended funeral service, the minister (Waititi himself) delivers the worst eulogy ever heard but it is also one of the funniest. The minister's bungled service degenerates into a question and answer exchange with the parishioners.

Not long after the funeral, Hector receives a letter from child services informing him that Bella's passing means Ricky will be removed from the Faulkner household. Ricky protests, expressing his anxiety about being placed in juvenile detention. Violently opposed to returning to foster care or "juvi," Ricky makes a mock-up of himself which he sets ablaze in Hector's barn with a suicide note attached. Miscalculating the flame's expansion, the barn becomes engulfed. Ricky flees into the forest and becomes hopelessly lost. Before long, Hector finds him; the suicidal ruse a failure. The two become fugitives when Paula Hall initiates a manhunt after finding the Faulkner home deserted and the phony corpse in the barn. Hector and Ricky disappear deeper into the forest and the New Zealand wilderness; on the run from Hall, the police and the military.

The flight from the authorities kicks the film into adventurous high gear but it also becomes a story about Hector and Ricky's unlikely, burgeoning relationship. It is also an opportunity for high-jinks and for the two to encounter all manner of strange and funny people. Three bumbling, would-be vigilantes find themselves at the end of Ricky's gun when they try to overpower Hector. Repeated encounters with the trio become an amusing gag. Hector's run-in with a young woman has romantic possibilities but yields to friendship. The scene where Ricky visits the young woman in her home becomes farcical when her father asks to take a selfie with the young teen rather than turn him into the authorities. Later Ricky and Hector meet a loony, conspiracy theory crack-pot named Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby), who is more clownish than dangerously demented.

While Ricky and Hector show signs of familial bonding, their trek through the New Zealand wilderness affords some spectacular views. Green, treeless expanses and mountainous horizon share visual space with the forest interior, which the two fugitives must negotiate as the authorities come ever closer to their prey.

The two become a news sensation though Hector is wrongly suspected of being a child molester after a thoughtless comment by Ricky is misconstrued by the vigilante trio.

The hunt eventually comes to an end, which leaves us with questions about Hector and Ricky and whether their relationship will endure. The ending satisfies all curiosity.

The film's strengths are many but its greatest are the performances of its two leads. Neill is a dependable pro who we unfortunately seldom see in movies. He shows his comedic side; an opportunity he's rarely had in film. Dennison almost steals the show. His beefy presence is part of his appeal and he too shows how funny he can be. He almost carries the film on his own.

Waititi is well on his way to becoming a household name in the directorial world. His confidence behind the camera shows in his panoramic shots and natural touch with action scenes. And as mentioned earlier, he juggles the multi-tone story with aplomb. He is also a funny actor.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is light, funny and has its moments of touching drama and exciting action. It could be a summer hit if the production's promotional budget is even half that of most Hollywood films. It is likeable, charming, an occasional rib-tickler and just plain fun. May it visit your neighborhood soon.