Hunt For Wilderpeople

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is about a boy named Ricky learning to survive in the bush, a.k.a. the woods, while on the run from child services and cops with help from his dog 2Pac and his foster parent, Hec. The movie fused together different types of genres, such as action and adventure, comedy, and drama. From this fusion, the tone changes throughout the movie. One scene might be silly and another might be tragic. But after a rough dramatic scene, the movie uses subtle ways to transition back into that fun and silly tone.

The main theme for Hunt for the Wilderpeople is coming of age. Ricky Baker is a troubled boy bouncing from home to home as a foster care child. When he finds a home that’s as bizarre as the people who live in it, his world is changed completely. Ricky must learn how to survive in the bush as well as surviving in his new family. Other themes in this movie are the circle of life, man against nature, and generation gap. Fair warning, there will be spoilers in this review to explain these themes.

The circle of life is a subtle theme throughout the film. Ricky and Hec must live off the bush in order to survive. But, what they take, they must give back. In the final boar scene, Zag smells something familiar and chases after it in the bush. To Ricky, Hec, 2Pac, and Zag’s surprise they come across a massive wild boar. With Zag’s nature instinct to heard the boar and help kill it, Zag puts himself in danger. The boar is cornered by 2Pac and Zag, so it uses its fury to scare off the dogs. But, Zag doesn’t let up and the boar charges after him, striking him in the abdomen. Zag is too injured for Hec to care for in the Bush. Hec has no choice, but to shoot Zag out of his misery. This is the circle of life. When life is given in the world such as food, then life will be taken as a balance to nature.

Man against nature is the second major theme because Ricky and Hec are on the run living in the woods. Although Hec can survive on his own in the woods, Ricky cannot and needs Hec’s help. So, Hect teaches Ricky to hunt, cook, and cleanse himself in the wild. But, living in the wild comes at a price. Feral animals in the bush will defend their territories and themselves, such as the wild boar protecting its self from the dogs acting as predators. Despite Hec’s skills on survival, he manages to hurt himself on slippery rocks and fallen branches. Ricky and Hec are constantly having to find more supplies and shelter to survive in the bush. Wild game is not enough for their survival.

Generation gap is a subtle theme in this film, but it is definitely there. Ricky represents the new generation of today, and Hec represents an older generation that is slowly on its way out. The first to go of this old generation is Bella. She was the missing link between Ricky and Hec. Without her, Ricky and Hec had to bond in other ways. Ricky is from a generation of safe-zones, gun restrictions and regulations, TV dinners and frozen foods, technology, and innovation. If Ricky were to travel the bush alone, he would not make it from lack of nature survival skills. Ricky needs Hec’s old school skills and teachings to survive not only in the woods, but in the real world.

This movie is the next family movie of the century, despite the graphic blood, minor language, and suggestive content. It is a movie worth watching with coming of age teenagers in real life. I recommend this movie to those that want a good laugh, a little sadness, and a heartfelt ending.

#comingofage #hilarious #australia #wild #survival #runaways #outlaws #family #2Pac