Backtotradition,backtoyourheart

Backtotradition,backtoyourheartIlovethisfilm,asimplefilmthatcanattractyourattentionallthewaytotheend.ThebreathtakingnaturalsceneryofNewZealand,themagicallyblendingcolorsofgreenandblueremindmeofthegorgeousexteriorsettingswhereshoottheLordRingseries.Nowonderthatinsuchanaturalembracedplace,eyesofthesepeoplearesoclearandbright.Paikea,thislittlegirlimpressedmesomuchthatIcanstillrecallwithoutdifficultyofhereyes,deepwithinwhichvibrateflowsofstrongemotionandkindofstrength,tellingthatbeingtheleaderoftheclanisherdestiny.ActuallyfromthebeginningweallcouldpredictPaiwouldbetheleader,butthedevelopmentoftheplotofferstheaudiencesmorethanthesimpleanswererofthesuccessionoftheleader.AtleastIgraspseveralpointsfromthisfilm.First,thedifferenttypesofinterpersonalrelationships:mainlythegrandpaPakaandPai;grandpaandPai’sfather,fatherandPai,grandmaandPai,grandmaandgrandpa,uncleandPai,etc...Ifiguredthatseveralpartsofthefilmaredisplayedindialoguingform,showingthedifferentrelationshipofthesemaincharacters.PakaandPai’relationshipdevelopmentisthemainscenario.Ireallyappreciatedtheexcellentperformanceofthesetwocharacters.Pakaloveshisgranddaughtersomuchevenifshewasnotashethoughtborntobethedestinedleader.Whentheyplayedwithabike,whenPaioverheardPaka’swordstofatherthatsheisuselesstohim;whenPakaforbidPaitotakepartinthetraininglessonasaleadercandidate;whenPaigavespeechonthestagewithsobbingtone;andinthelastpartwhenPaiprovedherleadingpowerafterwhale-riding,whenshedisappearedfromeveryone’seyesight,whensheliedincommainthehospital,IsawtheemotionevolvedbetweenPakaandPaiwiththeunfoldingprocessofplot.Thesemomentsaremarkedbytheiremotionaltensionandthefinalrelease.IcanstillfeelquiteexcitedwhenIwritedownsuchwordsaboutthem.Theoutstandingperformanceofallthesecharactersguaranteesthesuccessofthisfilm,Ithink.ImightsayIalsosawahintoffeminisminthisfilmforthestoryismainlyaboutthelittlegirlandhowshe“unexpectedly”(toPaka)becomestheleader.Anotherreasonmaybemorepersuasive,thatis,thisfilmisaworkofafemaledirector.IhavetosayIsensethefeministicelementsinthisfilmbutIdon’tthinkitisthethemeofthisfilm.Inmyeye,thisfilmexpressesMori’suniquecultureandthewillofgoingbacktotradition.FromthisfilmIsawforthefirsttimetheMoris’weirdhabitofgreetingbynose-touching.Theirconceptoftherelationshipbetweenhumanandseasetthefoundingofthisfilm—theancestorsofthemarewhale-riders;inthemoderndaystheyshouldgobacktofindthelostspiritoftheirancestors.Soreturningbacktotradition,backtotheoriginalsimpleandlocallifeseemstomethefocusofthisfilm.Inthelastpart,allthepeoplegatheredontheshore,singinganddancinginMori,performingtraditionalceremonytheirancestorsmightdo.AmongthesepeopleIsawPai’sfatherwhohadtriedtogetawayfromPaka’sbond(thoughhedisplayedMoriitemsinEurope,PakathoughthewasnotlostinmodernworldespeciallywhenheknewhefellinlovewithanEuropeangirl)andhisGermanywife.TheappearanceofHemi’sfatherwasreallyasurprise.Thatlostfatherwasbacktotraditionaswell;fromHemi’sjoyouseyesIperceivedanunprecedentedunityofthesepeoplewhomightgetlostinthemodernworld.