The film premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on 22 January 2016.[5] The film opened across New Zealand on 31 March 2016.[6][7][8] The film received a limited North American release on 24 June 2016.[9]
The film received critical acclaim, with many critics highlighting Dennison and Neill's performances and chemistry.
Plot
Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison), a child in the New Zealandfoster care system who has frequently run away or been let go by other foster homes, is taken in by Bella (Rima Te Wiata) and her husband Hector (Sam Neill). Though Hector remains distant from Ricky, interested only in hunting, Ricky grows close to Bella. When Bella suddenly dies, Hector is informed that Ricky will be re-located by state services, represented by the agent Paula Hall (Rachel House).
Not wanting to return to the foster care system, Ricky sloppily fakes his own death while burning down Hector and Bella's shed and runs off into the bush. Hector goes after Ricky, and in the process, injures his ankle. The two are forced to remain in the bush until Hector's ankle heals. Meanwhile, Paula finds the wreckage at Bella and Hector's farm and assumes that Hector has kidnapped Ricky, launching a nationwide manhunt for the pair.
After a period of time, Hector's ankle has mostly healed, and the two find a hut in the bush. They see their pictures in a newspaper article about the manhunt before they are suddenly discovered by three hunters returning to the hut. Hector and Ricky manage to escape - but, due to Ricky's innocent and ignorant nature, he accidentally portrays Hector as a molester, causing his reputation to be harmed. The manhunt intensifies and Ricky becomes nationally recognised.
While wandering around together, Ricky and Hector warm up to each other, with Ricky telling Hector about his fears and anxieties concerning the foster care system. When they find an empty hut again for more supplies, they find a man in insulin shock. Hector remains with the man whilst Ricky goes down to a nearby town for help. He finds Kahu (Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne), who he is smitten with, and after pictures with her father and a song sung by her at night he accidentally falls asleep. Upon returning to the hut, he discovers the hut surrounded by police led by Paula. When met with Paula at a ravine she tries to bribe him, asking him to say that Hector was a sex offender in return for not going to juvenile detention. However, he declines and catches up with Hector. Hector's reputation has improved for helping the ill man, as the media changes their view of him.
When they are reunited, however, they rob the same hunters as before, causing his public image to declline again. Later, Hector and Ricky are attacked by a wild boar. In the attack, Hector's dog, Zag, is wounded, forcing Hector to euthanise his dog via shooting. After his burial, Ricky reveals that he has carried Bella's ashes in a container the whole time. They scatter Bella's ashes into a waterfall high in a mountain range.
A man named Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby) who is living on his own is discovered by Ricky and Hector. Sam permits their overnight stay. After five months of survival in the wild and numerous near misses, they are eventually apprehended after a car and chopper chase, and Ricky unintentionally shoots Hector.
Hector is sent to jail for around a year, whilst Ricky stays with Kahu and her family. After his release, they reunite and continue their life of adventure.
Production
Waititi first began to adapt the book Wild Pork and Watercress in 2005, and completed multiple different drafts.[10] The early drafts stayed true to the book. However, later versions departed from it in several ways.[11] Julian Dennison was cast by Waititi from earlier work they did together on a commercial.[12]
The film was shot over five weeks, in locations including the Central Plateau and the Waitākere Ranges.[14] Almost the entire film was shot using a single camera.
Music
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
The soundtrack was composed by Moniker and was released on 8 April 2016 by Majestical Pictures Ltd. All original songs were written and performed by Moniker unless specified.
No.
Title
Length
1.
"Makutekahu" (Vocals by Pepe Becker, Anna Sedcole, Phillip Collins, Robert Oliver)
2:09
2.
"Ricky Runs"
1:46
3.
"Cloak of the Sky"
2:58
4.
"Ricky Baker Birthday Song" (Vocals by Rima Te Wiata and Julian Dennison)
0:51
5.
"Tupac"
0:59
6.
"Ricky Alone"
1:10
7.
"Ocean Blue" (Vocals by Moniker)
2:26
8.
"All the Nummiest Treats"
1:36
9.
"Hunting/Raindrops"
2:37
10.
"Are You Lost?"
2:53
11.
"Ancient Stones"
1:10
12.
"Horseriding"
1:26
13.
"Kahu's House"
2:43
14.
"Forest Spirit"
4:14
15.
"Majestical"
2:52
16.
"Crumpy"
1:26
17.
"Milestone 2 (Skux Life)" (Vocals by Moniker)
2:57
18.
"Sycamore"
1:56
19.
"Trifecta" (Co-written by Rima Te Wiata (as R Te Wiata), Taika Waititi (as T. Waititi), Julian Dennison (as J. Dennison) and Sam Neill (as S. Neill))
The film grossed NZ$1,263,000 in New Zealand on its opening weekend, the highest grossing opening weekend for a New Zealand film, ahead of What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?'s $912,000 record in 1999.[8][nb 1] It has become the highest grossing New Zealand film, making over NZ$12 million.
Internationally, as of October 2016, the film has grossed A$10,935,319 in Australia, US$507,380 in the UK and US$5,137,201 in North America.
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, Hunt for the Wilderpeople received a score of 97%, based on 201 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "The charmingly offbeat Hunt for the Wilderpeople unites a solid cast, a talented filmmaker, and a poignant, funny, deeply affecting message."[18] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 81 out of 100, based on 30 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[19]
In his review, Hamish Popplestone remarked: "Though both flawed, Neill's and Dennison's characters are so, so charming on-screen and are fully apt at weaving through the dramatic, comedic, and sad points of the script."[20]Empire magazine named Hunt for the Wilderpeople the number one film for 2016.[21]
Explanatory notes
^While the films of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies had higher grossing opening weekends, they do not meet the definition of a New Zealand film per the New Zealand Film Commission Act 1978.
