Written by: Kevin Berge
New Zealand is a weird place. (Image Courtesy of: onthescreenreviews.com)
Quick Take: Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an understated off-beat comedy that is delightful and sappy in all the right ways. With a talented crew all over the board, this is a film well worth the time invested.
***The following is a review for a recently released movie in 2016. Thus there will be no spoilers beyond the basic plot synopsis and allusions to the stories development.***
What are we but the sum of our overreactions to what we see on TV? Hunt for Wilderpeople laughs at modern society by following a ridiculously overhyped manhunt for a child and his foster father, and it does not pull punches.
Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a troublemaker who has just been placed in a new home with new foster father Hec (Sam Neill), but a series of circumstances lead to Ricky and Hec to go into hiding, attempting to avoid a massive manhunt for the both of them.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople can be hard to pin down on first watch. It is so odd in the way it portrays its characters and environment. Its satirical edge is tempered by a quiet exterior that never feels a need to explain.
The way this movie is equally old school and heavily relevant is fascinating. WIth unique New Zealand slangs coupled with plays on American film tropes, this movie knows how to take the ordinary and make it feel unique.
Much of this begins with the intelligently well-crafted script of Taika Watiti (What We Do in the Shadows) who also directs the film. Constantly this film uses poor grammar alongside inference to make its comedy work.
What are we but the sum of our overreactions to what we see on TV? Hunt for Wilderpeople laughs at modern society by following a ridiculously overhyped manhunt for a child and his foster father, and it does not pull punches.
Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a troublemaker who has just been placed in a new home with new foster father Hec (Sam Neill), but a series of circumstances lead to Ricky and Hec to go into hiding, attempting to avoid a massive manhunt for the both of them.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople can be hard to pin down on first watch. It is so odd in the way it portrays its characters and environment. Its satirical edge is tempered by a quiet exterior that never feels a need to explain.
The way this movie is equally old school and heavily relevant is fascinating. WIth unique New Zealand slangs coupled with plays on American film tropes, this movie knows how to take the ordinary and make it feel unique.
Much of this begins with the intelligently well-crafted script of Taika Watiti (What We Do in the Shadows) who also directs the film. Constantly this film uses poor grammar alongside inference to make its comedy work.
This is the best Jurassic Park sequel ever. (Image Courtesy of: avclub.com)
Watiti brings great performances out of his whole cast including Sam Neill (Jurassic Park) who is absolutely hilarious as a grumpy man with a heart of gold and Julian Dennison (Shopping) who makes this odd personality quite likable. The two have fantastic chemistry.
The direction and editing here are top notch to capture every moment. Nothing feels out of place, and many scenes shine due to the way the camera pans through and into the action. Even though this is not a movie with much action, it makes every action scene count.
This is also one of those films that is heavily improved by its soundtrack from Moniker who create a sound that amplifies the off-beat nature and feels at home in the woods where the characters are often situated with a mix of Celtic themes and electronic sounds.
As a whole, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an experience that needs to be had by anyone who enjoys both straight and odd comedy. There has not been a funnier movie to come out this year than Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
I went into this movie expecting to be impressed, but I left just feeling happy. It was a joy to watch with a near-perfect mix of acting, directing, and writing. As someone who rarely dives into the usual comedy affair, I welcome comedy like this, that makes each laugh count.
The direction and editing here are top notch to capture every moment. Nothing feels out of place, and many scenes shine due to the way the camera pans through and into the action. Even though this is not a movie with much action, it makes every action scene count.
This is also one of those films that is heavily improved by its soundtrack from Moniker who create a sound that amplifies the off-beat nature and feels at home in the woods where the characters are often situated with a mix of Celtic themes and electronic sounds.
As a whole, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an experience that needs to be had by anyone who enjoys both straight and odd comedy. There has not been a funnier movie to come out this year than Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
I went into this movie expecting to be impressed, but I left just feeling happy. It was a joy to watch with a near-perfect mix of acting, directing, and writing. As someone who rarely dives into the usual comedy affair, I welcome comedy like this, that makes each laugh count.
