There are certain films that you just don’t see coming. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is one of those cinematic adventures that sweeps you right off your feet in the best way because it comes out of nowhere. It is also the emergence of young star Julian Dennison.

What’s it all about? A simple story about a couple outsiders drifting into the great outdoors in hopes of finding something worth living for. Add in a crazy counselor, some police, and a fair mix of comedy and drama and you have a quiet summer gem. Adapted from Barry Crump’s novel, writer/director Taika Waititi(who delivered the indie darling, What We Do in The Shadows) crafts a film that suits a teenager or their grandfather.

Remember Sam O’Neil? The Jurassic Park actor barely works these days but picks up the right speed of wise knowledge here playing Hector, the foster uncle of the young rebellious Ricky(Dennison). When Hector and Bella(Rima Te Wiata) adopt Ricky, they are warned that he “burns things, hits things, does bad things” and is a general nuisance to society. A modern Dennis The Menace. Is there a chance he could just be a kid who has been passed from home to home and just needs the right family to settle down? Without getting heavy, the film has a poetic stroke about the misconception of foster children. (more…)