Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Hunt for the Wilderpeople


New Zealand Indigenous director Taika Waititi’s film is a comedic, generational family drama that demands repeated viewings. The young protagonist, Ricky, is a rebellious city kid who is sent to the countryside to reside with his loving Aunt Bella and crotchety Uncle Hec. The film soon finds the mismatched family members on the run in the wilderness trying to duck the foster-care system. A national manhunt ensues and heightens the drama just as the intangible bonds that make them a family begin to blossom. The acting is superb, the setting is breathtaking, the script is captivating, and as the credits roll you’ll understand why Waititi is being trusted to helm the next Thor film—he’s a director who gives his complex films a pulsing heartbeat.