I'm not going to be very popular for this comment but I have to say I thought this movie was awful. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen but it never came. Also, it didn't make any damn sense. What the hell were all the whales doing washed up on the shore? Why did Paikea almost drown herself?
-Jeremiah
New Zealand is a magical land full of awe and mystery! It is quite like the surprise in the midget's pants! Time as we know it does not exist upon the Isles of New Zealand! That is why enchanted hobbits, maori warriors, and small flightless parrots still exist there! It's the land of Middle Earth! It defies the laws of the space time continuum! The 80's exist there simultaneously as medieval times and EVEN THE FUTURE can be glimpsed!
Huzzah!
Now you know New Zealand's secrets. SPRING FORTH AND TELL THE WORLD OF THESE SURPRISES!!!
Whales DO wash up on the shore, you know. This isn't some bizarre event dreamed up by the filmmakers. "Beached Whales", do a google search.
Why did Paikea almost drown herself? Well, that's kind of the central point of the movie.
As someone else already quoted in this thread:
> "I called them and they came....but it wasn't right...they were dying"
Pakea called the whales to ask for assistance and they responded to her by coming.
At the end of the movie Pakea gave her will (strength) to the whale so it could free itself and return to the ocean.
The people in the community have a VERY connection to nature and to the whales. By showing her connection to the whales, Pakea was able to prove to her Grandfather that she should be the new leader of the people.
This is a very beautiful and spiritual movie that shows the connectedness of the entire Earth. At the same time it shows how people and societies sometimes have to move forward past their old forms of discrimination (in this case, sexism).
The people in the community "have a VERY connection to nature and to the whales"? What do you mean? What is a "very" connection?
Traditionally Maori hunted and ate anything that was edible, including each other. If whales beached themselves that would be cause for a feast. Those whales that did not escape in time would be slaughtered. There is no way that pre-1840 Maori would have tried to refloat beached whales.
This film presents an entirely false image of primitive Maori life and culture.
You don't like it?
No, sir. You just don't get it.
*Danny's not here, Mrs. Torrance*
It is quite clear that you did not understand the meaning of this wonderful movie....A lot of interresting stuff happened, you just did not see.
Paikea fighted to change traditions that wew going on for over a thousand years.
one day in great dispair, she called Paikea, after who she was named, the great ancestor to help her find the courrage and the answers she needed to fulfill her destiny.
The whales were on the shore because the ancestors heard her, and came to her.
She almost drowned herself because she wanted to save the Whale because it savec her and gave her courrage, she bonded with it and made it understand that its life was important.
this is a magical movie, try to watch it again, you might just see stuff differently this time.
I think YOU just don't get it. Watch the movie again and you'll understand.
I agree, with the positive reviews and a high (7.6) imdb rating I was expecting something a bit better than this rubbish really.
I thought the girl playing Paya was good, but yeah I didn't get why the whales were all washed up either.
I've seen a lot worse I gave this a 7.