Taika Waititi has the unenviable task of following up his hysterical mockumentary “What We Do in the Shadows.” Making matters worse is the announcement of a sequel to said film, as well as directing “Thor: Ragnarok.” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” runs the risk of getting lost in the shuffle; the proverbial transitional film. Thankfully, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is anything but. It’s just as funny and engaging as “What We Do in the Shadows,” and nearly as quotable to boot!
Waititi’s trademark dry yet rambunctious wit is on full display in the tale of a juvenile delinquent gone AWOL. Said delinquent is Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a rebellious young teenager who’s gone through foster families like tic-tacs. He finally finds one that sticks in the form of Bella & Hec (Rima Te Wiata & Sam Neill). The former is a charming woman with a heart of gold and a mouth with no filter (she cracks a few fat jokes at Ricky’s expense, but they all surprisingly come off lovingly). The latter is a cold farmer who seemingly resents Ricky, but we can tell from the start he’s taken a shining to him. There’s a lot of Hec in Ricky, both being misunderstood souls who shut out society due to fear and anxiety. Ricky’s just more outgoing, that’s all.
Just as Ricky’s getting acclimated to his surroundings, Bella passes away unexpectedly. Just like how death can be, it’s a gut punch, bringing the audience down from cloud nine that was the humor and grounding us in a world full of heartache. This is not an off-kilter satire ala “What We Do in the Shadows,” but a humanistic comedy driven by emotion. Waititi finds the right balance between drama and humor, never allowing the former to wade into saccharine territory (well, not too often). The drama is earned and serves to develop the characters and story, not drag them through the mud.
After Bella’s passing, the story becomes a wilderness survival comedy/bonding drama. Child services wants to take Ricky back into custody, deeming Hec unfit due to his criminal past. He at first obliges, but comes around to protecting the kid when he learns he’ll most likely be thrown into juvenile hall. That and he has no choice after Ricky’s faux suicide is founded out and Hec stumbles upon him hiding in the New Zealand jungle. The government now believes he’s harboring the kid as a fugitive, so it’s either stick it out with the wannabe gangster or face jail time.
The rest of the film consists of the two narrowly avoiding the government and child services led by Paula (Rachel House), an overzealous agent who gives new meaning to no child left behind. The duo run into a bevy of colorful characters, such as three buffoonish hunters, a father and daughter who are more enchanted by Ricky’s newfound fame than in turning him in, and a conspiracy nut who dubs himself Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby). Sam gets some of the biggest laughs, whether it be his inability to camouflage himself or his forgetfulness of his home’s wirings and intricacies.
The biggest laughs belong to Julian Dennison, the star of the film who rightfully earns that position. This young actor is a wonder to behold! He commands the screen with ease, playing to the character but knowing when to dial back his eccentricity. He’s able to make you laugh and feel sorrow with the flick of the wrist. For example, when he names his dog Tupac, you laugh because of the reference. Just as you finish chuckling, he tells the naïve Bella he was a rapper that was his best friend, immediately making you feel sorry for the kid.
It helps that Waititi wrote Ricky as an endearing character and not a walking punchline. He’s made to be smart, a lover of reading and haikus (which will be the most quoted aspect of the film, no doubt). His only downfall is his troubled upbringing: a father who passed and a mother who didn’t want him. He shuns society because they’ve shunned him, giving his wannabe gangster motif credence. I was instantly drawn to him, as the young actor was able to convey comedy and emotion without speaking a word. His first act when dropped off at the cabin in the woods is to walk around the premises then immediately get back into the police vehicle in protest. So much said with no words.
Sam Neill, who’s made a career out of playing characters who hate children (he can thank “Jurassic Park” for that), plays off of Dennison perfectly! Their relationship is played up too much at first, with Hec calling him a bastard and demanding he be left alone. His short temper comes into play on occasion solely to get him into trouble, such as in the scene where Ricky unknowingly makes it sound like his foster uncle (as he calls him) molested him. It’s a recycled gag seen in many other comedies, but performed so well that I couldn’t help but laugh. Neill displays frantic worriment and agitation tremendously, all the while showing compassion under his cold demeanor. You can tell by the way he looks at Ricky that he’s endeared to him. This makes the eventual bonding moments more meaningful and real.
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” isn’t as sprightly as “What We Do in the Shadows.” It suffers from the occasional dead spot, which slows down the pacing. What it has over that film is warmth, which carries the film. There’s never a moment in the film when I’m not smiling. Julian Dennison’s performance alone is too enchanting to dampen one’s spirits. And when I did laugh, I laughed heartily!
In a word, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is majestical!
Final Rating: B+