Written and Directed by Taika Waititi
Based on the book Wild Pork And Watercress by Barry Crump
Cast: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley, Cohen Holloway, Taika Waititi
Soundtrack: Lukasz Pawel Buda, Samuel Scott, & Conrad Wedde (aka “The Phoenix Foundation”)
I’m not usually one to seek out “family” movies, but sometimes I kind of stumble into them. I suppose you could label Hunt for the Wilderpeople as such a film (although most family movies get below a PG-13 rating), but I’d much rather just refer to it as a great movie, because that’s what it is. Along with The Nice Guys, it’s one of the best films I’ve seen so far in 2016, and it seems likely to land in the Top 5 at year’s end (not to hype it up too much).
I can’t get into the plot too much without spoiling things (and I want you to enjoy it as much as possible when you go see it), so I’ll simply say that Hunt for the Wilderpeople is the story of “bad egg” Ricky Baker and his foster “uncle” Hector “Hec” Faulkner, and their flight into the New Zealand bush in an effort to escape the wrath of Child Services.
Frankly, the main reason why I love this movie so much is because it feels like a cross-pollination of two of my favorites of the past ten years (with a Kiwi twist for good measure): Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom and Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz. And, like those movies, Hunt for the Wilderpeople also features music in the film that’s also featured in its trailer, which is good for me because I like that sort of new wave-ish ambient synth pop stuff.
Based on the book Wild Pork And Watercress by Barry Crump, and written and directed by Taika Waititi, who has a very funny cameo as a minister who’s in way over his head (and whose last project was the critically acclaimed vampire mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows, which I also recommend), Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an intensely funny movie that’s also not afraid to deal with some real life issues, which it seems like more and more kids and family movies are steering away from, so I give it a lot of credit for not shying away.
Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the performances of our two lead actors: Julian Dennison and Sam Neill. They couldn’t be more different as people, and they spend much of the movie not liking each other, but, even in those moments, there’s a certain chemistry between them that shines on the screen. And, as many roles as Sam Neill has played in his illustrious career, I think this is the first time I’ve heard him speak in his native New Zealand tongue, so that’s fun.
Other than that, there’s not much to say, except that Hunt for the Wilderpeople is eminently enjoyable and, again, one of the best movies of the year. If it’s playing in your vicinity, go check it out, because I can’t recommend it much more highly than that. Whether you’re going out on a date, or going with friends, family, kids, or whoever, this is a film that works for just about everyone.
Rating: ★★★★½ (out of five)