MovieChat Forums > Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) Discussion > Aimless and formulaic - why the love?

Aimless and formulaic - why the love?

posted 8 years ago by aw6921
52 replies | jump to latest

Thrilled so many people liked this film and not here to try and change anyone's mind, BUT I FEEL LIKE I'M TAKING CRAZY PILLS.

Baffled by the almost universal admiration for this. I thought it was a hackneyed rehash, with broad, tired gags that didn't really land, a weak script and - I seem to be alone in this - a pretty unnatural performance from the kid playing Ricky.

Story-wise, there was so little to it, just a series of episodes involving disposable wacky characters. For me the emotional beats just didn't convince in the way that, say, they do in the clueless kid-grizzled curmudgeon dynamic in Bad Santa.

It was beautifully shot and Sam Neil was reliably brilliant, but otherwise a total miss. Again, as someone will no doubt point out this is my opinion, but I'm curious to know whether anyone had a similar reaction...

Or if anyone passionately disagrees with what I've said?

[–] mldardar 7 years ago

You armchair directors aka wannabe film critics, faux intellectuals aka IDIOTS should read James Cameron's review. Like me, he gives the movie a big fat 10, and praises the director, and agrees with the decision to have him direct the next Thor superhero movie. I also enjoyed his What We Do In the Shadows.
I'll avoid the reviews and posts by you and your fellow humorless duds. So glad I don't have to work with people like you.

[–] shoutatthesky 7 years ago

I loved this movie. It was fun, lighthearted and a great homage to New Zealand film and culture.

[–] janoss (206) 5 years ago

I'm from the states, but I think Ricky is very believable. Once you're in "The System" as a kid, you're screwed. I had a friend that got bounced around. All the foster parents that he had were only in it for the check. They'd take in as many kids as they could and then use them for labor for a while or just ignore them until they get moved again by child services.
Kids get pretty disenchanted by this pretty fast. They end up lashing out. They run away often. Eventually, my friend got emancipated at 15 and ended up living with me and my folks for a while before he ended up moving in with some other people in town.
The foster system in the US is so overtaxed that they can hardly keep an eye on the kids at all. Sometimes kids get taken from their parents and end up with worse parents. Sometimes, they just dispensary.