Hunt For The Wilderpeople

[midian]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Xvsjy57X0[/media]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Xvsjy57X0

[edit: the youtube link doesn't seem to work on a preview of this message. just google it]

Saw this preview yest at genesis cienma through an odd ourscreen comp. several cinemas were selected and the first six to have enough pa*d bums on seats would get to hold the screening. but as i really loved Taika Waititi's "What we do in the Shadows" i pa*d up. i was so glad when i found out that genesis had won!! Was not disappointed.

the film is a comedy starring disaffected teen Ricky (Julian Dennison) and his foster father Hec (Sam Neill) in a quirky tale set in New Zealand. After being pushed from plllar to post by social services the teen is fostered with Bella and Hec in the bush (outback). life seems to be going well until a shock forces the two outsiders to spend more time with each other in the bush on the run.

It is stunningly beautiful, a paean to the NZ landscape. I had never even considered NZ as a poss hol destination but I do now.

But the story is what makes it one of my fav films of 2016. It is hilarious, which is what i was hoping from Waititi. Ricky and Hec's adventures kept me grinning all the way through. I am just full of superlatives for the acting, esp from such a young boy, the script, the cinematography...

Also stay for the music at the end. the last song is wonderful.

also Waititi is lined up to direct the next Thor for 2017. i can't wait, he has become one of my fav directors now.

10/10

[Shreeva]

Taika is a talented guy, very funny and creative. I lived in NZ for 15 years & its a beautiful place. I'm looking forward to seeing the film tonight at Odeon Covent Gdn

[kevinknapman]

"I'll never stop running!"

"Yeah, and I'll never stop chasing you. I'm relentless, I'm like the Terminator"

"I'm more like the Terminator than you!"

"I said it first, you're more like Sarah Connor, and in the first movie too, before she could do chin-ups"

Easily one of my most anticipated films of the year, Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople certainly doesn't disappoint.
Hilarious and heartfelt, the story of 13-year old 'bad egg' and wannabe gangster Ricky Baker who goes missing in the New Zealand bush with his reluctant foster 'uncle' Hec kicking off a nationwide manhunt is a delight from beginning to end.

Sam Neill is superb and reliably gruff as Heck, while Julian Dennison is a real find as Ricky Baker bringing an impressive deadpan comic touch to his soft at heart teen tearaway. While Rima Te Wiata and Rachel House offer excellent support as Hec's wife Bella and overzealous child welfare officer Paula respectively. Fine cameos too from Waititi himself as the minister of an inappropriately funny funeral and Rhys Darby as a crazed and paranoid survivalist.

The stunning New Zealand scenery beautifully captured by DoP Lachlan Milne certainly doesn't hurt either. I expect the NZ tourist board will get a significant boost as a result.

A solid crowdpleaser it deserves the biggest audience it can get, so ignore the much wider publicised Brit comedy sequel out today and hunt this down instead (or just go and see that one later. I'm not the boss of you.) You'll be glad you did.

[fillumboy2]

What a great little film!

Knew nothing about this at all in advance.

Beautiful - funny - moving - truthful - so many qualities absent from the majority of production line films that flood the cinemas.

If you see one film this weekend, make it this one.
Up meets Thelma & Louise.

[alythonian]

Brilliant.
Delighted some of the multiplexes have picked this up and caught it at my local Vue.
As someone who has spent a bit of time in NZ the kiwi in jokes were laugh out loud funny as well ( I love L&P!!) and as everyone above said all the leads were brilliant and the whole thing just gels together so well mixed in with the eclectic music score.
It's a lovely tale of adventure and friendship and it's also hilarious.
Heat has given it 5 stars this week!!
As others have said you really do need to go and hung this out.
Best film I've seen in ages.
10/10

[yogi]

What a great little film!

Knew nothing about this at all in advance.

Beautiful - funny - moving - truthful - so many qualities absent from the majority of production line films that flood the cinemas.

If you see one film this weekend, make it this one.
Up meets Thelma & Louise.

Up meets Thelma & Louise is a great call - I had high expectations after the directors last film and the rave reviews and they were easily met.

Majestical 10/10

[Betty Botter]

We tracked this down at the weekend. Loved the film. Wasn't familiar with Taiki Waititi work before but will be looking out for his work in future. A very talented director, writer and actor - didn't realise he appears in the film as the pastor at the funeral service.

9/10

[Flabber]

Finally managed to catch this and I was not disappointed. Lots of good reviews and I have to agree, this was brilliant.

A slightly odd storyline which is held together by the two leads who are perfect. The supporting cast are superb and add to the originality of the story. This and a wonderfully original script with a lot of heart and humour make this one of films of 2016.

A great find and highly recommended.

9/10

[tombone]

I absolutely loved this film, from the first chapter until the last it was fantastic and kept you interested the entire time.

The storyline was a little strange but i think the little kid in it was fantastic and will no doubt be huge in future roles, it also has some fantastic humour and was definitely in my top 5 of the year.

9.5 out of 10 and one i would recommend to any film lover.

[xtrip86]

I saw this at Empire Live a while ago but would recommend to anyone. I went in knowing nothing but enjoyed it immensely. Sam Neill was his usual talented self and Julian Dennison gave me plenty of laughs.