Will Stevens 5th 11/02/2011

Heroes Within
Whale Rider 2002 Maori/ New Zealand Niki Caro Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis

The best movies are rarely labeled great because of terrific acting or high-funding, but rather because of a triumphant resolution or well-portrayed moral. Whale Rider is a testament to this, receiving an incredible $41 million in box office earnings and acclamation from a multitude of reviewers. Caro masterfully incorporates literary, dramatic, and cinematic devices to help portray her theme; heroes are present within all of us, but only those who truly fight for it overcome their opposition and fulfill their destiny. Ahhh!! screams a Maori mother being zoomed in on, sprawled out on a delivery room bed as she gives birth to a girl that she names, with her dying breaths, Paikea. Pai is born into a role that her grandfather immediately resents her for not being able to fill due to her gender; the next tribal leader (one of her Calls to Adventure and her Refusal of the Call by someone else). Despite the fact that her grandfather (Koro) seems to develop an affectionate bond for her, he relentlessly blames her for any and all of the tribes problems. Once, Pais father offers to take her back to Germany to live with him, but on the way to the airport she feels this need to be the leader of her village (her inner Call to Adventure) and makes him turn the car around

(her Acceptance of the Call). Koro founds a school for boys to learn the ancient traditions in hopes of cultivating a tribal leader candidate, but Pai wont be deterred by the gender barrier. She receives special help from her Uncle Rawiri (Mentor!) in the form of his teaching her how to fight with a taiaha (stick important to the Maori people) and later bests one of the boys in Koros school. Not long afterwards Pai, along with the rest of the Maori villagers, is put to the ultimate test. A pod of barnacle-ridden right whales is beached on the sands right outside Pais house (this could represent the divine gift because she calls the whales). All of the citizens (except Pai, who is turned down by Koro) work through-out the night and into the morning attempting to coax and push the whale back into the sea but it is all for nothing. Eventually they all take a break and are retreating from the beach when they turn around and see Pai riding the lead whale back into the cove, with the rest of the pod trailing close behind. At one point when she is on the back of whale it goes under water and she says, I wasnt scared to die (representing her becoming at one with the hero). As everyone is starring awestruck at this spectacle, Pais grandma hands Koro the whale tooth that represents leadership that none of the boys could retrieve from the bottom of the ocean, but Pai did. Nanny tells Koro that it was Pai who retrieved it and a look of epiphany and respect envelopes his face (marking the recognition of the father). The story concludes with some villagers and Pais father rowing the waka out to sea with Pai, wearing the whale tooth (Talisman), and Koro sitting in the middle as the leaders. Pai has overcome all her oppositions (Road of Trials) and has restored unity and leadership to her village (the Ultimate Boon). However, this would hardly be a notable movie if not for great filming and directing.

Caro used literary, dramatic, and cinematic devices effectively to get across what she was trying to establish. One of the most evident cinematic devices that she incorporates is pacing of cuts. When Pai and Hemi are fighting with the taiahas there are very sharp and brief shots from all angles, capturing the concentration and intensity of the important fight. Another instance where a cinematic device is used is when Pai is in her bath tub listening to Nanny talk about Koros school potentially failing. The camera proximity reveals Pais deep concern for her grandfather and her desire to see him succeed even though he does not welcome her. Point of view is a literary device used to symbolize Koros distancing Pai from the rest of the tribe. When the villagers are down by the water trying to help set free the whales and Pai stand away from the group, it shows how she is at the scene so she is part of the tribe but she is slightly separated, representing her slight uniqueness. Caro also uses imagery to enhance the film. When Koro is describing the first whale rider coming to New Zealand, he not only describes the literal view of the whale rider, but also gives crucial background information on the story. Dramatic devices play an equally important role in making the film interesting and, oddly enough, dramatic! Caro uses depressing music and dissatisfactory facial expressions to portray Koros disappointment and lack of faith in the boys at his school. This occurs after Koro has thrown his reiputa (whale tooth) into the ocean and requested that one of the boys return it to him, but none can deliver. (Well, besides Pai, but that comes later). The other example of a dramatic device in Whale Rider is the lighting at the scene of the beached whales. When Koro first finds the whales beached is it pitch black outside and very poignant. As the morning progresses and Pai rides the whales out to sea the clouds begin to lift and the mood becomes a

little lighter. And when Pai and Koro are joint-leaders of the village at the end on the waka is it very bright outside and it is a triumphant/ celebratory mood. In conclusion, Pai inherits all the qualifications of being the successing tribal leader, but has one fault her grandfather cannot pardon; she is not male. The young Maori girl spends the majority of the story attempting to prove herself worthy in her grandfathers eyes, but with no avail until the denouement. Whale Rider is an uplifting story about a small Maori girl with a big heart and an even bigger passion for bringing her village together once more.