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Frank's Movie Log

by Frank Showalter

Whale Rider

B+: 4 stars (out of 5)
2002 | New Zealand–Germany | 101 min | More...
Reviewed Mar 14, 2004

A young Maori girl (Keisha Castle-Hughes) struggles with destiny and tradition in a small Maori village.

Whale Rider is a great example of how to make a warm, uplifting film without reusing the same cheap Hollywood tricks. Instead of flashy CGI or trite plot twists, Whale Rider gives us rich, believable characters in a layered and extremely well-told story.

Though the plot revolves around Maori culture, it’s presented in such a way that the viewer never feels overwhelmed or lost. Further, the underlying themes of destiny and equality are universally recognizable. Credit the script for concentrating on these themes and working a great deal of character development into a modest 101 minute running time.

The acting is great all-round, but it’s Keisha Castle-Hughes who carries the movie. The way she effortlessly charms the audience makes her seem like a pro and it’s hard to believe this was her first movie.