Cassandra Kipp

Maori bush-livers Hector and Bella foster a delinquent, Ricky, who becomes attached to Bella and the farm lifestyle in Taika Waititi’s 2016 Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Under threat of returning to the foster system, Ricky flees to the bush; Hector follows to rescue him. Following accusations of pedophilia, the pair retreat into the bush for months. They are caught, but reconcile regardless. The film depicts elements of the concept of chosen family, death and survival, masculinity and communication, and disappearance. Hector and Ricky have to overcome their toxic masculinity and learn to express themselves; the freedom of adventure and the bush are, meanwhile, contrasted with the death required to survive. Death is both necessary to living in the bush and living fully.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople depends on its symbols, physical representations of the film’s themes. Hector and Ricky encounter the huia bird, an extinct bird they hope to make a fortune on if they ever leave the bush. This represents their hope, a drive to keep going. Another bush animal, a hog, recurs: Bella kills one, introducing Ricky to farm living, and Hector kills another, who attacks the pair. Survival is a struggle in the bush, and wild, uncontrollable hogs don’t need order, but rather to fulfill their destiny. A third symbol is Bella’s ashes, carried by Ricky on the bush adventure. Finally Ricky decides to reveal the box of ashes to Hector, spreading her ashes where she proclaimed to have been born. They have emotionally reconciled, coping with her death and letting her go. Humor diffuses these wallowing topics. Additionally, it highlights the absurdity of the structures it criticizes, like the foster system and news media. It also frames the movie’s structure, a pair of opposites pushed together by circumstances critical to creating comedy.

Wide, indulgent landscape shots depict a near-fantasy environment. The value, compelling power Ricky feels from the adventure, and life or death circumstances are conveyed through scale. A range of framing for characters, often at medium range, give space for movement but also expression. Furthermore, the outdoorsy emphasis is assisted by natural lighting. The addition of chapter titles, edited over landscapes, add a fantastical and adventurous element. These titles often impose phrases said already in the film, establishing emphasis and highlighting growth. Montages are constant through the film, the condensed time allowing years to pass. One montage is filmed in a panorama, the actors dashing to create the illusion of time passing.

Waititi stated such artistic experimentation is what satisfies him in his work, visual elements only possible through the camera. Fittingly, Hunt for the Wilderpeople adapts Wild Pork and Watercress, a 1986 book by Barry Crump. Therefore, he had the opportunity to bring new pieces to the table through film. Otherwise, Waititi tried to avoid claiming that he spoke for or romanticized all Maori—or exploiting the mystical native stereotype. The film’s contrast between the sincere and playful prevents it from feeling too anything, with strength in its pleasant irreverence mixed with interiority.

Devereux, Michelle. “Taika Waititi on Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” The Skinny, 2016. https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/interviews/taika-waititi-on-hunt-for-the-wilderpeople.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Directed by Taika Waititi. Piki Films, 2016.