Coming off of his 2014 little-seen but well-received hit, the New Zealand vampire-mockumentary “What We Do in the Shadows,” writer/director Taika Waititi fleshes out his cheeky brand of deadpan humor in his follow-up comedy “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.” This fun adventure story bursts with laughs and surprisingly heartfelt pathos and can be considered his all-around best movie yet.
Waititi previously hit the hammer on the nail – or rather, coffin – in “Shadows” (starring the dryly hilarious Jemaine Clement) by making audiences laugh throughout the whole movie, not sparing any joke that could perfectly punch up a moment. It is clear Waititi is skilled and gifted in his comedic sensibilities. It’s this strength of his that shines through in his movies, including “Wilderpeople,” which shows his instincts as a comedian who understands how to craft a deadpan comedy that not only makes a movie move from beat to beat and joke to joke, but presents a heartfelt story as well. If it’s Waititi’s comedic style that makes “Wilderpeople” a gem, it’s to the credit of the movie’s cast who brings that comedy to life, their characters being both ridiculously funny and yet so rich in heart and empathy, giving substance to an otherwise quirky and off-beat comedy.
Our main character is Ricky, played by newcomer Julian Dennison in a breakout role who anchors the movie not only with his weighty figure but also with his cheeky one-liners and wannabe gangster rap attitude, a front that clearly reveals his reluctant wish for love, being a foster care child. If his comically-anarchic swagger has upset other families, his new adoptive mother Bella (Rima Te Wiata) would love him just the same, allowing him to run away from home whenever he wants (just as long as he’s back for breakfast). Certainly, the Child Services lady Paula (Rachel House) is happy to be rid of Ricky, as she covers up that his past is full of punching stuff, kicking stuff, burning stuff and stealing stuff. A watchful eye is also had by his weary “Uncle” Hec (Same Neill).
Without giving much else away, the movie turns into an unexpected adventure movie, with Ricky and Hec finding themselves in the situation of being on the run from the authorities (and a hilariously diligent Paula), leaving the boy and reluctant guardian to survive in the New Zealand forest, with all of the dangers and enemies that wish to hunt them down. The comedy comes a mile-a-minute, balancing from light chuckles to hearty gut-laughs, yet is built on a foundation of love and acceptance, as Ricky and Hec both change and grow in spirit from the beginning to end.
At a time when comedies in the U.S. range from Hard-R genre a la “The Hangover” and “Trainwreck,” “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is a much-welcomed movie to watch with family and friends. It’s certainly a movie that will intrigue audiences to watch Waititi’s previous movies, as well as anticipate his next big-screen outing (the sizeably bigger “Thor: Ragnorak”), proving that Waititi has become a director that we should join on any adventure.
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is rated PG-13 for thematic elements including violent content, and for some language. 101 min. In select cities this Friday.
