Whale Rider Review

Movie Review - Whale Rider (2002), Directed by Niki Caro

1 Cast: Keisha Castle-Hughes as Paikea (Piece of my Heart, The Vintner’s Luck)

Rawiri Paratene as Koro (Man Thing, Attack of the Sabretooth)

Vicky Haughton as Nanny Flowers (In my Father’s Den)

Cliff Curtis as Porourangi (Once Were Warriors, Runaway Jury)

Grant Roa as Uncle Rawiri (The Killian Curse)

2 My Review: The New Zealand film, Whale Rider, based on the novel by Witi Ihimaera, is a brilliant example of how traditions and cultures need to adapt to changing times. It sees a young girl, Paikea (Pai for short) struggle to make her grandfather see that his traditional ways must change if their culture is to survive.

Pai comes from a long line of chiefs, tracing right back to the great whale rider, Paikea himself. Her mother and twin brother die in childbirth, and her father leaves her to be raised be her grandparents.

She strives to make her grandfather, Koro, proud of her, and ultimately win his respect. But this is difficult – Koro is still looking for a male to be chief. What he fails to realise – and doesn’t, until near the end when Pai rides a whale – is Pai has many leadership qualities herself, and is destined to be the next chief. But Pai doesn’t give up on what she feels is her birthright.

This is displayed continually throughout the movie, over a number of circumstances and scenes. She shows her determination, and – despite Koro being disappointed in her – does all she can to make him proud of her.

All in all, it’s an amazing movie. It highlights the need for change and acceptance in this modern world, and shows the journey of an unwanted girl as she slowly proves her worth to her family and culture.