Review: The Hunt For The Wilderpeople Does Everything Right.
- Jan 5, 2017
- 2 min read
New Zealand director Taika Waititi has been given the reigns of the third Thor movie, Ragnarok, and with good reason. His latest film, The Hunt For The Wilderpeople is not just the funniest movie of 2016 but my favourite comedy to date.
Ricky (Julian Dennison) is a foster child taken in by Bella (Rema Te Wiata) and Hec (Sam Neil). He’s a rebellious child with a history of misdemeanours though by no means is he an undesirable. After an unfortunate incident Ricky flees into the bush that surrounds his foster home, only to become lost and confused. Hec recovers him though is injured and as such, the two remain in the bush until Hec is well enough to leave. Naturally, when an old man and a young boy disappear into the woods, all manner of accusations are thrown around, in this case, that Hec is a paedophile. In an effort to escape the law, Hec and Ricky try to escape and an epic manhunt ensues, led by Paula (Rachel House), the individual in charge of Ricky’s foster care.
Julian and Neil play off each other excellently. Julian plays Ricky as a carefree boy who is in way over his head but refuses to realise it. Neil’s Hec is suitably deadpan though becomes more relatable and friendly over the course of the film. The other characters are all comics in their own right with their own quirks and personalities. There’s so much interplay with facial expressions alone that it’s hard not to become invested in the characters.
The laughs are consistent and cover numerous topics, from slapstick through to long running gags. But aside from the comedy, it’s also a movie with a lot of heart, again brought forth by the stellar acting. Hunt For The Wilderpeople is both hilarious and full of real people moments, a thing that most comedy movies can’t achieve. But even the serious scenes have moments of levity helping to set the quirky and odd mood of the film.
It’s packed with pop culture references from Scarface to Terminator. Wilderpeople is incredibly self aware, of both it’s own story and of its setting, as such there’s more than joke about New Zealand including the obligatory joke about sheep.
It’s funny, heartfelt and utterly glorious in it’s execution with some of the best acting I’ve ever seen. The Hunt For The Wilderpeople stands tall amongst the likes of Monty Python and Mel Brooks and, in my opinion, surpasses even these greats. Without a doubt, Wilderpeople is worth the watch and remains funny on repeat viewings.
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