Hunt for the Wilderpeople 10th Anniversary

Has it really been 10 years since the release of Taika Waititi’s Hunt For the Wilderpeople? 2016 – has anything notable happened since then? You might be able to think of one or two things. The bigger question is, how has the film held up? Remarkably well, it turns out. In part, this is because it was deliberately made to be timeless. Its source, Barry Crump’s Wild Pork and Watercress, albeit a fairly late entry in Crumpy’s career, was already 30 years old. But apart from Ricky Baker’s fashion choices and the occasional (deliberately non-state-of-the-art) cellphone, it could almost exist in 1986 as comfortably as in 2016.

This film is for everyone, so I don’t mean this in a possessive way, but I’m pretty sure that for children of the ‘80s, Wilderpeople is just a bit more for us. We’re the right age to have read the odd dogeared Barry Crump novel which we found on the shelf of a bach, after we’d run out of Footrot Flats anthologies. We didn’t need to be told that the Cadbury Flake jingle was the consummate love theme – already knew that. And of course the references to The Terminator (the first movie, before Sarah Connor could do chin-ups) were specifically for us.

I had the privilege of watching it in 4K for the first time in Reading New Lynn’s huge Titan XC cinema, with a crowd full of the cast, crew and other assorted screen luminaries. I’m not too jaded to confess that it was a real thrill having the privilege of watching the film in company with its stars. The film really does have a phenomenal ensemble cast, many of whom were relatively unknown at the time but have since become quite major celebs in their own right.

Like many of Taika Waititi’s films, the comedy is mixed with profound tragedy. For the film’s emotional core to function appropriately, Bella’s death needs to hit like an emotional sledgehammer. A tough challenge, as she barely has 10 minutes of screen time in which to make the audience fall in love with her. Fortunately, Rima Te Wiata is practically a cheat code in this regard.

With trademark tonal whiplash, this is immediately followed by one of the film’s funniest moments, with Taika’s brief but unforgettable cameo – the most iconically incongruous ecclesiastical performance since Peter Cook’s impressive clergyman in The Princess Bride. Shockingly, Taika confided in the Q&A that the minister’s hilariously tone-deaf funeral speech was cribbed almost word-for-word from one he heard at an actual funeral for his friend’s father.

Kiwi cinema loves a coming-of-age story, along with outstanding child actors. And Julian Dennison is right up there with your Paquins and Castle-Hugheses. Taika cast Julian after directing him in a drug-driving PSA which played off Taika’s Oscar-nominated short Two Cars, One Night. He has genuine acting chops. He’s still only in his early 20s, but he has already racked up an impressive resumé. Julian couldn’t be at the screening – he’s in London shooting How to Train Your Dragon 2 – but recorded a very sweet and heartfelt video message.

Crump’s son Martin told us Barry would have been immensely proud of what his work has achieved. Most of Crump’s books had at least some small autobiographical element, and apparently Hec and Ricky’s friendship was inspired by his real-life friendship with a young Māori boy. Hearing that adds something to the chemistry between the two leads, which is the main element that makes the film work so well.

Sam Neill was quite emotional in the Q&A. In the years since, he’s survived a cancer battle and written a singularly compelling autobiography, Did I Ever Tell You This? (if you haven’t read it, you’re missing out). With a career as shining as his, it would be difficult to pick highlights of which one is most proud. But I suspect Wilderpeople must be quite near the top of his list.

Taika Waititi has since risen to global megastardom. Not too many people get to see themselves as a Pop Vinyl – not as a character, mind you, but as themself. He’s ascended high enough, in fact, to face an inevitable backlash. There’s almost a rule that no one is allowed to remain universally beloved, and some people have seemingly decided to find Taika insufferable for no particular reason.

But he’s our tall poppy, thank you very much. We remember him stealing scenes in his early acting roles in The Strip and Scarfies and doing comedy with pre-Conchords Jemaine Clement. We fondly recall his hilarious 48Hours shorts. We backed his Kickstarter campaign to fund the US distribution of What We Do In The Shadows. (Maybe that wasn’t actually the springboard that led to him directing Marvel films, but surely it can’t have hurt.) If we want to find his personal life a tiny bit embarrassing, that’s our right (but not our obligation – a 15-year age gap isn’t actually particularly scandalous, people).

However, I contend that if Taika’s international stardom has grown a cringey reflection, a large part of that must owe something to the general daft anti-woke culture war. His advocacy for progressive causes generally – especially indigenous representation – is well known. Not to say that if you don’t like Taika you’re automatically an alt-right reactionary. Perhaps you’re just looking for something to dislike.

No child left behind. No child left behind.

From the first frame, Hunt For the Wilderpeople is Kiwi film. Arguably the most Kiwi film, to the extent that it is surprising that non-Kiwis can appreciate it. There’s the obvious homage to the Crumpy and Scotty Toyota ads. But there are also plenty of less direct references to Aotearoa cinema classics. Why does the setting for climactic showdown have to be a wrecker’s yard? Apart from the fact that it looks cool, that’s where it would have happened to Bruno Lawrence.

Some films are just inherently rewatchable. If you saw Wilderpeople in 2016 – and you almost certainly did; it’s still the highest grossing New Zealand film – but haven’t seen it since, then it’s been long enough that you may have forgotten some fairly iconic moments. For example, did you remember the luminous Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne singing Bob Marley’s Turn Your Lights Down Low? Or how about Troy Kingi just being effortlessly cool?

Whether through forgetfulness (more likely enthusiasm and a sense of occasion) much of the audience reacted as if they were watching for the first time, which made for quite a majestical experience. It had the atmosphere of a premiere, complete with a very genuine and organic standing ovation. Hunt For the Wilderpeople is back in cinemas for Easter. Go on – we can all use a laugh, and it’s your opportunity to champion local cinema.