Rating: 
Summary: A Whale of a Tale
Review: "Whale Rider" was released on June 6th 2003, it is rated PG-13, and is 1 hour 45 minutes long. Whale Rider is directed by Niki Caro and is based on the book written by Witi Ihimaera. The main actor in this film is newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes who was selected from many hopefuls to play the role of Pai. Keisha performs her role extremely well and makes the film complete. Her performance is well balanced by that of Rawiri Paratene who plays Pai's grandfather Koro. Other actors in the film are Vicky Haughton who plays Flowers, Pai's grandmother, and Cliff Curtis who plays Porourangi, Pai's father.Whale Rider is set in the coastal village of Whangara, New Zealand. It is the story of a young Maori girl, named Pai, and her fight to defy the hard set traditions of her people. The film is told through the eyes of Pai and begins tragically when her mother dies while giving birth to her twin brother. Porourangi is disgraced, as his son was supposed to carry on the line of chiefs, and so leaves the village indefinitely. Pai is left in the care of her grandparents, her grandfather, Koro, being the current chief of the tribe. Once Pai turns twelve Koro rounds up all the boys in the tribe and begins to teach them the ancient ways in hope of finding a new successor. Pai is not allowed to train as she is female so she seeks out the help of her uncle to teach her the customs. Her struggle begins, her aim being to break tradition and take her rightful place in the tribe. The gorgeous scenery of New Zealand makes a perfect backdrop for this film and the carved meeting houses help to intensify the Maori culture; the visual quality is excellent. The acting in the film contributed to making the characters exceptional, they are very believable and the audience is able to relate to how they are feeling. Much of the music used in Whale Rider is traditional of the Maori people and incorporates song and dance; it has specific cultural significance and is characteristic of New Zealand. Overall I found this film to be outstanding and exceedingly moving; one that should not be missed.
Rating: 
Summary: A moving modern-day NZ fable.
Review: Niki Caro's "Whale Rider" (based on the novel by Witi Ihimaera) is an uplifting tale of tradition and inner strength. Twelve-year-old Pai (talented newcomer Keisha Castle-Hughes) lives with her grandparents in a rural New Zealand town. Pai's mother and twin brother died in childbirth, and her artist father took off for Europe, where he now has a new (pregnant) girlfriend. Pai's brother was supposed to be the next chief of her tribe, and with his death Pai's grandfather Koro searches for a new (male) leader, failing to see that it is Pai that possesses the courage and talents of a chieftain. The movie is filled with a haunting soundtrack by Dead Can Dance's Lisa Gerrard, including samples of traditional Maori music by Hirini Melbourne. The cinematography beautifully captures the many moods of light and shadow on mountains and sea, as well as stock footage of majestic whales. "Whale Rider" is an uplifting tale of love, loss, and courage, about tradition in the face of change, and believing in yourself.
Rating:
Summary: great film about a young woman' courage
Review: Whale Rider is an outstanding film. It is a well written, well acted film dealing with many issues, such as survival of a tribal culture in the "modern" world, generation gaps, gender gaps, and family members understanding and supporting each other. It also deals with leadership and the difficulties involved in trying to chart a course for a group of people for whome you are responsible. The central story of the film is the struggle of a young woman to gain acceptance from her grandfather. Wrapped around this is the story of tribal bloodlines and gender expectations. I can't really go into detail without spoiling the ending, but suffice it to say that Keisha Castle-Hughes did a great job as the courageous young woman, and all the actors gave very believable performances. I was drawn into the story easily, and it kept my attention through to the end. It is really nice to see more movies where women and girls are the heroes and get to show strong character development and great depth. Women have played very important roles in virtually every aspect of human history, and I feel cheated by the way they have been left out of historical tales. It is a never ending source of inspiration to discover yet another episode of women's contributions, and it is gratifying to see fiction giving them more due as well. Highly recommended. Hey, is New Zealand the next film capital of the World, or what? Go Kiwis!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and heart warming
Review: This is a beautiful, sad but eventually satisfying story of a young girl who survives her mother and twin brother when they die in childbrith, and is born into a Maori family in remote New Zealand.
Distraught at the death of his wife, the father leaves her with the grandparents, of which the grandfather has problems bonding with her, as traditionally a boy was needed to succeed him as tribal chief. (His son is obviously not interested as he is more interested in modern society than a traditional Maori lifestyle)
The film concentrates on her trying to prove to her grandad that she is the natural successor, and the pain she goes through to get it through to him. (Though I she is simply trying to impress him to earn his love, rather than consciously trying to become Chief) This film is stunning, emotional and beautiful. All the performances are excellent, especially the young girl (who was oscar nominated) and I personally found the cultural differences fascinating. I suggest putting the subtitles on before watching the film as I had some difficulty picking up the accent at times which is very strong with some characters.
The DVD extras are adequate.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Movie Experience
Review: This is a good touching movie experience. The story, the actress, the cinematography, the soundtrack, the real people in the movie, the breathtaking countryside of New Zealand, all very beautiful together... the theme may be an old one, or even cliché, but the old story never wore out its light if told in such a magic, wonderfully refreshing way...It's not just about a girl's unflagging spirit or female empowerment, in a way it's a heart-felt celebration of humanity which touch us all...
Rating:
Summary: Woman power, new Zealand style
Review: This wonderful and beautifully acted film concerns Pai, a girl being raised by her grandparents in a patriarchal New Zealand tribe. She believes she is destined to become the tribe's new chief - and nearly loses her life (riding a whale out to sea) to prove her point. The movie deals with tension between genders, generations, the new and the old, the spiritual and the real, animals and people.
Spectacular. Don't miss it
Rating:
Summary: Charming Family Entertainment
Review: This is one of those rare movies that really qualify as "family entertainment" -- suitable for kids and grown-ups alike. It's touching without being sappy, and you learn a fair amount about the Maori culture in New Zealand as the movie unfolds. Definitely worth watching, and worth buying if you have youngsters in your household.
Rating:
Summary: A Story of Inner Conflict and Discovery
Review: Whale Rider is a relatively simple plot that provides extensive depth. The main character is a young girl, a member of a tribe between tradition and change. The story revolves around her relationship with her grandfather. The grandfather is a chief who wanted a grandson to carry on. He is losing his sense of identity as his traditions slip away. He manifests his fear and loss by ostracizing his granddaughter because of traditional gender roles. Pai, the granddaughter, is in turn seeking her own identity within the same paradigms that her grandfather is losing his. She persistently seeks her grandfather's guidance and love but is turned away. Her ordeal is painful, her patience inspiring, and her strength unequalled. In the end the roles of teacher and student are reversed with great emotion, triumph and discovery. The story is slow at times but character development and the overall plot more than compensate. The plot is easy to follow but it does require dedicated viewing to be appreciated. This is not a movie to watch concurrently with other activities. The performances, soundtrack, and settings are all enjoyable. Keisha Castle-Hughes delivers a stellar performance in the role of Pai. This alone is enough to make the movie worth seeing. Bottom line: A powerful movie for those seeking inspiration, thought, and the dynamics of humanity in an otherwise simple story.
Rating:
Summary: Solid Film
Review: There isn't much I'll be able to add to this movie's reviews besides validation: Castle-Hughes has the performance of her life, the story is touching, you're likely to spend some time sniffling, etc. This film delivers on the hype - a great selection for your next family movie night.
Rating: 
Summary: This movie sucks!!!
Review: This movie was the worst movie I have ever seen. It's fine for little kids but anyone else will think it is stupid. The movie has no plot and its main charecter is a girl that looks like a dude. What ever you do don't buy this movie! It will bore you to death.
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