Thursday, June 26, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Film: Kiwi magic

Beckham oughta make way for its sister import, Whale Rider

By Mike Prevatt

Two foreign films with a feel-good feminist spirit are vying for your otherwise Hulk-earmarked cash. One of them, England's Bend it Like Beckham, is succeeding beyond expectations, to the tune of $23 million grossed in 15 weeks. The other, New Zealand's Whale Rider, is still fresh out of the gates after three weeks of limited U.S. release, yielding a fair $1.5 million to date.

Why mention money? Box office returns seem to carry more weight with moviegoers these days than a review, positive or not. But for a foreign film, it's not so much an opening weekend that makes it or breaks it, but the snowball effect caused by word of mouth. Beckham has benefited richly from this, and one hopes the same water-cooler discourse rewards Rider. But given the film's focus on a culture unknown to 99.5 percent of the American populace, as well as an unassuming marketing campaign, it runs the danger of being overlooked--which would be just short of tragic, because no other current release deserves a higher priority on your cinematic wish list.

Rider may come from a land far away, but its stirring tone is familiar, rooted in the traditional Hollywood crowd-pleaser. Through a direct and unpretentious narrative, driven by the indefatigable will of a young girl named Pai (newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes), it possesses the underdog glow of a film by Frank Capra or Steven Spielberg. The difference is the authentic expression of its native elements, through the breathtaking shots of coastal New Zealand, the gorgeously complementary score by former Dead Can Dance member Lisa Gerrard and the faithful incorporation of the North Island's Maori culture. Most filmmakers trying to awe watchers with a natural and cultural aesthetic end up compromising the story. That's not the case with writer-director Niki Caro, who aptly blends her artful vision with the essence of trailblazing Maori author Witi Ihimaera's beloved tale.

The Whangara tribe believes it was delivered to New Zealand thousands of years ago by its first, whale-riding ancestor, Paikea. Since then the leader of the clan has been determined by the legacy of the firstborn son. When Porourangi (Cliff Curtis), son of chief Koro (Rawiri Paratene), becomes a father, he gains a resilient daughter in Pai. He also simultaneously loses his wife and Pai's twin brother. This disappoints Koro, who is a firm believer in the patriarchal traditions of his downtrodden people.

As the film progresses, he becomes Pai's caregiver--Porourangi eventually moves to Germany to become an artist, further disgracing Koro--but she never has a shot at succeeding him because of her gender. And that is when fate steps in, as Pai, determinedly and inadvertently, proves she is not only equal to any of her male counterparts, but surpasses them with her spiritually inspired talents and instinct.

This comes across triumphantly due to Caro and Ihimaera's writing prowess, where both the simple, poetic language and the tale that inspires it are neither contrived nor ordinary. Paratene, whose mere presence is as evocative as his acting, highlights the intergenerational conflict; Vicky Haughton, as Koro's better half, underscores assertively yet warmly the feminine chutzpah needed to deal with such a familial struggle.

But the real resonance comes from 12-year-old Castle-Hughes, who effortlessly embodies both humility and confidence. An American director might've encouraged the child to ham it up, but Castle-Hughes doesn't do cute; instead, she radiates power and wonder. It's difficult to establish the bigger breakthrough here--the film or its leading actress. That such a debate surfaces ultimately rewards the audience, one that deserves to grow immeasurably should America have room in its heart for another imported gender-buster.