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ONCE WERE WARRIORS (1994) (****)

I never took director Lee Tamahori as a truly serious filmmaker, having directed ALONG CAME THE SPIDER, DIE ANOTHER DAY and XXX: STATE OF THE UNION. And his recent arrest for propositioning a police officer to perform sexual acts for cash while dressed in drag made him look like a strange Hollywood concoction. However, his work in the ‘90s is actually quite underrated, consisting of this film, THE EDGE and MULHOLLAND FALLS (unseen by me, but it has its fans).

ONCE WERE WARRIORS is clearly his masterpiece made with great care and passion. The native Kiwi brings to brutal life the state of Maori culture in modern New Zealand. Beth Heke (Rena Owen, A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE) is the mother of five children, living just above the poverty line. Her family lives under the explosive violence — both mental and physical — of her husband, Jake (Temuera Morrison, STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES).

Her daughter Grace (Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell) escapes from the pain via her journal and her friendship with a homeless boy named Toot (Shannon Williams). Beth’s oldest son, Nig (Julian Arahanga, THE MATRIX), joins a Maori gang, who tattoo their faces with traditional designs. Beth’s third child, Boogie (Taungaroa Emile, WHALE RIDER), is in and out of trouble, finally sentenced to go to a boy’s home. Beth also has two young children Polly (Rachael Morris Jr.) and Huata (Joseph Kairau), who cling to their older siblings when things get tough at home.

Beth and Jake’s relationship is like a rollercoaster. He’s charming to his friends like Bully (Cliff Curtis, THREE KINGS) and Dooley (Pete Smith). However, when booze is introduced, both Beth and Jake get violent. Yet, Jake’s violence is extreme. I have never seen domestic violence filmed like this. It’s so honest about how abuse develops and why women stay with abusive men. Beth hates Jake afterward, but he finds a way to be sweet right when he needs to be to win her back.

Owen and Morrison are powerful performers of raw emotion. They invest themselves totally in the characters, which brings brutal reality to the story. In addition to the film’s keen eye toward Beth and Jake’s relationship, the film watches how Grace, Nig and Boogie try their own ways to escape from the violence at home. It’s sad when Nig’s decision to join a gang seems like a completely sane move. With so many films chronicling the horrors of government run youth facilities, this film is able to show how they can help when they’re run by caring people.

The title refers to the history of the Maori, who are a long honored culture of great warriors. The cultural current that simmers in the background only brings the narrative to another level. The story goes in directions we expect, but it has big shocks too. Sadly, sometimes it takes tragedy to make us take action.

Tamahori infuses the film with an almost punk style that’s raw and aggressive, very suitable to the subject matter. This is not to say the film is highly stylized — Tamahori knows when to heighten the style and when to just let the story play out naturally. It’s his mastery of tone that breaks our hearts. This powerful drama is brutally unflinching in its tragic tale. Be warned you will be moved and disturbed.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks