A story of blood, honour and revenge, The Dead Lands is one boy's brutal quest through pre-European New Zealand to right the wrongs done to his tribe. It's not too often you get to see something this unique come out of New Zealand, and, while it may not be groundbreaking in its originality (there's a strong whiff of Apocalypto throughout the film), it is certainly unique and entertaining.
Opening at a time of peace between two Maori tribes, we are introduced to Tane (George Henare), an elderly peaceful chief, his teenage son Hongi (James Rolleston), and Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), a savage warrior and son to the chief of a nearby tribe. They have gathered to ensure peace and honour their ancestors. Instead, they find war as Wirepa makes cause for offence. Tane's tribe is almost wiped out by Wirepa and his men, leading Hongi to pursue them into the dead lands; a cursed place haunted by The Warrior (Lawrence Makoare).
The Dead Lands is obviously not treading new ground here as we watch treachery, violence and young arrogance drive the film and it's protagonist/antagonist. Neither writer Glenn Standing nor director Toa Fraser goes out of their way to introduce new elements to the classic story, or even flesh out the characters (at least not past their predetermined archetypal "growth"), but it really doesn't matter; this is a tale of revenge, we're here for blood.
In this, The Dead Lands excels marvellously. The fights here are wickedly brutal, fuelled by a passion only those of Maori or Polynesian can possibly embody. Typically, I can't be bothered with grandstanding before a fight in films. It's either ridiculous or the butt of a tired joke, however, the warriors here perform their Haka (think the All Blacks but with weapons and blood) and grandstand with an intensity not typical for any kind of film. The fights themselves are close quarters, meaning you feel it every time someone has their head caved in. That said, the editing is almost stupidly fast at times, making it near impossible to see half of what's going on before cutting to the next shot. It creates a tense, fast fight for sure, but the film easily lends itself to steady fights that allow tension and intensity to build naturally.
The film is, of course, gorgeous to look at; often times a more stark and foreboding look at New Zealand than what one often imagines. The soundtrack is slightly jarring at first as it is far more contemporary than anything else on offer. It's not bad (it's actually reasonably decent), it just stands out initially in a film that strives for something more traditional. Yes, that's right, the film is spoken entirely in Te Reo (Maori) and sounds absolutely fantastic. It's a great language to listen to and try to speak, and The Dead Lands is the only film I know of to use Te Reo for its entirety (plenty of Kiwi films speak Te Reo throughout but always secondary to English).
At 100 or so minutes, The Dead Lands is a fast paced and brutal quest for honour and revenge. With wicked fights, gorgeous scenery and a willingness to embrace history, the film is uniquely Kiwi and unique in New Zealand. Have some fun, you might surprise yourself.
A story of blood, honour and revenge, The Dead Lands is one boy's brutal quest through pre-European New Zealand to right the wrongs done to his tribe. It's not too often you get to see something this unique come out of New Zealand, and, while it may not be groundbreaking in its originality (there's a strong whiff of Apocalypto throughout the film), it is certainly unique and entertaining.
Opening at a time of peace between two Maori tribes, we are introduced to Tane (George Henare), an elderly peaceful chief, his teenage son Hongi (James Rolleston), and Wirepa (Te Kohe Tuhaka), a savage warrior and son to the chief of a nearby tribe. They have gathered to ensure peace and honour their ancestors. Instead, they find war as Wirepa makes cause for offence. Tane's tribe is almost wiped out by Wirepa and his men, leading Hongi to pursue them into the dead lands; a cursed place haunted by The Warrior (Lawrence Makoare).
The Dead Lands is obviously not treading new ground here as we watch treachery, violence and young arrogance drive the film and it's protagonist/antagonist. Neither writer Glenn Standing nor director Toa Fraser goes out of their way to introduce new elements to the classic story, or even flesh out the characters (at least not past their predetermined archetypal "growth"), but it really doesn't matter; this is a tale of revenge, we're here for blood.
In this, The Dead Lands excels marvellously. The fights here are wickedly brutal, fuelled by a passion only those of Maori or Polynesian can possibly embody. Typically, I can't be bothered with grandstanding before a fight in films. It's either ridiculous or the butt of a tired joke, however, the warriors here perform their Haka (think the All Blacks but with weapons and blood) and grandstand with an intensity not typical for any kind of film. The fights themselves are close quarters, meaning you feel it every time someone has their head caved in. That said, the editing is almost stupidly fast at times, making it near impossible to see half of what's going on before cutting to the next shot. It creates a tense, fast fight for sure, but the film easily lends itself to steady fights that allow tension and intensity to build naturally.
The film is, of course, gorgeous to look at; often times a more stark and foreboding look at New Zealand than what one often imagines. The soundtrack is slightly jarring at first as it is far more contemporary than anything else on offer. It's not bad (it's actually reasonably decent), it just stands out initially in a film that strives for something more traditional. Yes, that's right, the film is spoken entirely in Te Reo (Maori) and sounds absolutely fantastic. It's a great language to listen to and try to speak, and The Dead Lands is the only film I know of to use Te Reo for its entirety (plenty of Kiwi films speak Te Reo throughout but always secondary to English).
At 100 or so minutes, The Dead Lands is a fast paced and brutal quest for honour and revenge. With wicked fights, gorgeous scenery and a willingness to embrace history, the film is uniquely Kiwi and unique in New Zealand. Have some fun, you might surprise yourself.
