Based on Barry Crump’s novel Wild Pork and Watercress, Hunt for The Wilderpeople is another comedic gem from What We Do in the Shadows writer, director and star Taika Waititi. The multi-talented Kiwi is set to move into big budget territory with next year’s Thor: Ragnarok but this is a decidedly smaller and weirder affair, charting the coming-of-age of a portly teenager in the New Zealand wilderness.
Relative newcomer Julian Dennison proves a fantastic find for Waititi, giving a winning turn as Ricky Baker, a city kid who has bounced around foster homes and gotten in trouble with the law. He is sent by social services to live on the outskirts of the New Zealand bush with cheery farmer Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her gruff bushman husband Hec (Sam Neill). It takes the rap-loving, wannabe gangster Ricky a while to settle into his new family and just as he starts to feel at home, an abrupt tragedy leaves Ricky and Hec on the run deep in the bush.
Storywise, what ensues is largely predictable and conventional as reluctant father figure Hec starts to bond with Ricky despite the obvious clash of personalities. The two become famous fugitives and are tracked through the wilderness by strident social services worker Paula Hall (Rachel House), the NZ police force and a group of hapless hunters looking for their reward. What enlivens the story is Waititi’s considerable wit and left field comedic sensibilities, as well as a delightfully off kilter touch behind the camera. He structures the film in eleven chapters, complete with quirky title cards, and makes the most of the stunning New Zealand landscapes through sprawling wide shots, all accompanied by a catchy 80s-style score.
Though the film at times calls to mind Wes Anderson, particularly Moonrise Kingdom, there’s something about Waititi’s particular brand of humour that feels strange and unique. There’s broad humour to be found for sure and he milks the visual gag of Ricky, decked out in hi-tops and hoodies, being dumped in the untamed forest for all it’s worth. But the deadpan delivery of the fantastic supporting cast, the bizarre side trips involving a motor-mouthed teen and her enthusiastic father, and a conspiracy theorist known as ‘Psycho Sam’ (played by Waititi’s buddy Rhys Darby) are pure Waititi.
Crucial to the film is the casting and Waititi struck gold with young Dennison, who proves the perfect vehicle for this material. His deadpan is impeccable, whether he is bragging about his plans to become a drug dealer or inadvertently insinuating that Hec is a pervert. He is completely charming throughout and it’s fully believable that he is loveable enough to win over even his grouchy guardian Hec. In that role, Sam Neill gives possibly his best and most committed performance in years, putting up a resolutely stoic exterior that Ricky ever-so-slowly chips away at over the course of the film. Although things head towards a happy ending, it’s a testament to Neill’s performance and the script that Hec’s eventual declaration of some kind of affection towards Ricky doesn’t feel completely out of character.
Although there’s modern technology and the occasional use of modern lingo – “selfie”, in particular – Hunt for The Wilderpeople has a timeless feel about it. This is a film that could have easily come out of the 80s or 90s and it manages to evoke a vague sense of nostalgia for family films of that era. It’s hilariously funny and heart-warming without ever being overly sentimental. Waititi has the perfect touch for this kind of material; let’s hope he can transplant that unique voice to the Marvel universe when he makes his move to the big time.
EIFF 2016 — count: 23
Festivals — count: 132
