Once Were Warriors [DVD] [1995]

In a film so hard-hitting that the viewer actually feels battered by the time it reaches its conclusion, a Maori family with five children must deal with urban violence, poverty, drugs, alcoholism, unemployment, gang warfare, rape, physical and mental abuse, suicide, and a host of other horrific family problems, all shown graphically. Beth and Jake Heke and their five children, along with numerous other Maori families, live in an urban ghetto of government-supported housing, isolated from the rest of society and isolated, too, from their old rural culture, which once gave pride and a sense of identity to Maori families. Here in the city the prevailing "culture" centers around bars, rather than the ancient meeting houses.

Beth Heke (Rena Owen), the mother, loves her violent husband Jake (Temuera Morrison), despite his abuse of her when he is drunk, and she cares deeply about her children, but she is powerless to protect them or herself from Jake's rages. The oldest son (Julian Arahanga) is part of a street gang which covers their faces in traditional tattoos and uses their own violence for protection against others. Their sensitive second son Boogie (Taungaroa Emile) has been arrested for associating with car thieves. Most touching, however, is Gracie (unforgettably played by Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell), a thirteen-year-old beauty who is trying to lead a good life without any good examples to follow. Pathetically, she and the two youngest children are forced to "grow up early," accepting the horrors of their lives as "normal," while they try to survive any way they can.

The bold, raw language of Alan Duff's novel of the same name becomes part of Riwia Brown's script, and Lee Tamahori's direction brings this powerful, absorbing, and overwhelming story of human misery to life. Tamahori uses contrasts throughout to emphasize the themes and the differences between contemporary Maori urban life and traditional Maori culture. He uses haunting Maori music to begin the film, then switches to scenes of rap and rock, he alternates quiet visions of a Maori village with loud bar activity, he shows the sweetness of Gracie against the grim living conditions of her best friend Toot (Shannon Williams), and depicts Jake's violence in contrast to the family's need for calmer, more focused lives. The cinematography, too, emphasizes the contrasts, though most viewers will be too focused on the overwhelming emotionalism of the scenes to notice. Though I loved the book, I found the film even better--the characters as acted here are much more heart-wrenching than I ever could have imagined. Mary Whipple

The best word to describe this film is..... Powerful. This film makes "Menace to Society" look benevolent in comparison.

"Once Were Warriors" is a film that you are instantly bound to watch, simply because it presents a world that most people are not familiar with. I believe most Americans (me included) and others around the world have heard of the Maori - the native peoples of New Zealand. But how many can say that they have an idea of what kind of lives these people lead or what the modern day culture looks like. As far as I know, Lee Tamahori is one of the first directors to show us this culture, which many Americans will instantly compare with south central L.A. gang life and the decay of Native American reservation life.

The film's opening scene is very clever. We are shown a beautiful N.Z. countryside of what most of New Zealand must have looked like before British colonization. Then the camera pulls back to reveal that it is just a billboard in the middle of the urban insanity that we are all too familiar with - concrete highways. We are then introduced to an urban ghetto where hip-hop culture looks as though it has latched on to Maori youth and bar brawling and 40 ounces are all that the rest seem to live for. Among the latter group is Jake Heke, a macho abusive drunk living with a wife to whom he shows no respect and five kids that he couldn't care less about. There are many qualities to this film and one being the characters. The local actors are superbly cast, their performances strong and complimentary. Rena Owen's performance in the film is one of the Best I have ever seen. She is powerfully convincing as the mother who strives to hold her family together. Her inner strength in the role makes the film so spellbinding. The film also boasts an infectious soundtrack of reggae-tinged pop/rock which effectively underscores the psychological tension throughout.

Lee Tamahori did a great job directing this. Viewers should be warned that there are disturbing scenes of violence against the female characters. However you should not avoid the film because of this. In the end, it can be seen as an inspirational story of how inner strength and love can overcome. Being that this film was also recommended to me, I highly recommend this film as well.

Once were Warriors is a movies that, although it is specifically about the plight of the Maori people and particularly the Family of " Jake the muss " tells the story of many families in many different countries.It could quite easily be set in America, Ireland or England etc. The main thing that stands out for me in this film is its cultural aspect and the fact that through all the violence and desperation it is the Maori culture that gives hope. Each character finds his or her way back to their culture, except for Jake who through his denial of his culture and therefore denial of himself, remains lost and desperate.A BRILLIANT FILM.*****