Whale Rider



Pikea(center) with her Family


I was drawn to the movie at the title. Whale Riders. I actually beleived they would be riding whales (though they did at one point). The movie opens up at the hospital where it show the birth of twins, one a boy, the other a girl. Unfortunatley, the boy and mother have died during the pregnancy, leaving the girl with her grief- stricken father. The father, who was mourning the loss of his wife and child, has decided to name his daughter the name of an ancestor of the tribe, against his own father's word.
The baby girl, now known as Paikea, lives with her grandmother and grandfather who have accepted her as her. Trouble brews when her father returns and accidentaly slips up about a woman he has been seeing in Gremany, infuriating his father further. Paikea would then set out to live with her father only to come back because she felt she needed to say. Her grandfather, Koro, began to ignore her once she returned and planned to find the true leader for the tribe. The boys quickly lossed to the tasks Pikea could grasp easily, making Koro furious. In his mindset, only boys can be tribe leader, a little sexist in my opinion. Eventually Pikea was trained by her uncle and one day was able to dive in and find the whale's tooth her grandfather thrown into the water. She was also able to summon whales (not like in Naruto if that's what your thinking) though they were dying, causing a small panic within the tribe.
Here's the best part.
She rode the whale. Yes. Rode a whale, not just any whale. A huge whale, that was beached. I didn't quite understand this, but took it as being the chosen one/leader.
Well, anyway, they assumed her dead and mourned her loss. Until, wait for it, they find her! She is then crowned the tribe leader and her father even returns with a very pregnant girlfriend.
And they all lived happily ever after.
Not the best ending, in my opinion. But, there was humor and drama added to this movie that gave it that flare that kept me going.
Kudos to you Niki Caro.