Whale Rider - 15th Anniversary Edition

A story of patriarchal presumption giving way to higher wisdom, "Whale Rider" is both a bracing coming of age tale -- one of the rare ones told from a female perspective -- and an engaging family drama.

Young Paikea (Keisha Castle-Hughes; you might know her from her work on "Game of Thrones" as Obara Sand) is the granddaughter of Maori tribal chief Koro (Rawiri Paratene), a man of good will whose flaw is that he's got his head so far into his ancestors he can't see what's going on with his descendants.

Koro's obsessions have been hard on his family. His eldest son -- and Paikea's father -- Porourangi (Cliff Curtis) has fled the obligations of his lineage and moved to Germany, where he has a pregnant girlfriend and a burgeoning art career. Koro's younger son, Rawiri (Grant Roa), has left his days behind as a champion with the taiga, a traditional fighting stick and settled into a slacker existence. When Paikea exhibits the strength, smarts, leadership, and courage it takes to be a new tribal leader, Koro rejects her because of her gender. He's too busy pining for a promising young male to understand what's right in front of him.

But Paikea's grandmother, Nanny Flowers (Vicky Haughton), is clearer on the concept, and encouraged Paikea along the way. Local boy Hemi (Mana Taumanu) is another ally; he's attracted to Paikea, and her abilities don't intimidate him.

The film, which is adapted by director Niki Caro from Witi Ihimaera's novel, dutifully draws all the story tropes toward a foregone conclusion. Will Paikea -- named for an ancestor who rode a whale from a distant land called Hawiki -- actually ride a whale? It seems she's going to have to, since Koro blindly dismisses her every achievement. The story pays earnest tribute to tribal spiritual lore, with Paikea sensing an overriding connection to the sea and its creatures; at one point, she seemingly calls a pod of southern right whales to the beaches of Whangara, where her community is situated.

This is a timeless film for kids, but it's just as appealing to adults. So what if the story and plotting are overtly contrived? The electric mix of love and rivalry between Paikea and Koro drives the movie to transcend its narrative simplicities. Castle-Hughes was nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Paikea - the youngest such nominee, at the time - and she well deserved the nom.

This Shou Select Blu-ray edition offers a very good hi-def transfer, as well as several extras, which appear in standard def. One is a behind the scenes documentary which seems to have been made at the same time as the movie, for marketing purposes; the voice-over seems quaint and newsreelish now, and it makes the film feel dated, but otherwise the doc is informative. Another feature is "Te Waka - Building the Canoe," a feature that focuses on the large "waka" that Paikea's father left unfinished. The boat used in the film looks authentic, but was created using modern methods and materials -- another instance, we are told, of tradition and modernity meeting and, ultimately, harmonizing.

Other extras include Niki Caro on an audio commentary track, deleted scenes (which can be played with commentary), Keisha Castle-Hughes' screen test, a gallery, and the film's theatrical trailer & television spots.

Text on the package tells us that Shout Select is all about bringing us movie we'll want to own; this is a prime example. Buy it for yourself, a daughter, a niece, or anyone, really.

"What Rider"
Blu-ray
$18.97
https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/whale-rider-15th-anniversary-edition?product_id=5110