Movie Review: Whale rider

ACT i: A soon to be mother clenching her jaws and lips in pain as she struggles to bear the pain that causes her to cry. The family and friends gathers around to comfort the relatives of the lifeless body on the hospital bed. Her husband cry’s uncontrollably, seeing that one of his new born made it was not enough for him especially when she was just a girl. The grand parents are people with status; they have special parts to play in specific rituals. The son that now has the decease wife leaves his daughter behind for his parents to raise her and in spite of that he calls or visits home irregularly. The girl becomes attached to her grandfather to the extent of desiring to be a traditional leader of their tribe. She was disrespected and disgraced in public from her grandfather so she could discontinue her ventures of ever becoming leader of the tribe, but in spite of this her grandmother encouraged her to be her best and follow her dreams while recommending that her younger son, who use to be a fit and a professional- looking guy before he became fat could teach her what she need to know as her grandfather refused to teach her things that a girl has no business in. Her adventures with her uncle paid off as she was willing to learn and seemed to learn quickly as she was able to beat one of her grandfather’s students.

Despite the discrimination thrown at her from her grandfather whom she adored she found every way possible to impress him or get him to be interested in the activities she takes part in.

  ACT ii: The grandfather took some of his students to sea and throws his leadership necklace in the water, hoping that one of the boys would retrieve it, unfortunately for him, he had to return home empty handed; however The girl went to see with her uncle and dived to the sea shores where her grandfather’s necklace lay, but not only did she retrieve a necklace from the sea, she caught food for the family. The deed brought happiness to the family but this was all done without the awareness of her grandfather who acts like a living dead in the house; he believed he was a failure to the Gods and his ancestors. In the girl’s effort to win her grandfather’s attention, love and respect she invites him to a programme at her school, fully convinced that he would attend, little did she know that he was on his way when he saw whales of all sizes sparsely scattered about the sea shore and he stood there the night until his younger son saw him and called the family to the commotion on shore. During the action on sure the girl was in her bed tossing and sweating until he eyelids flew open and she got up with a start. She went outside and observed the activities outside as the village worked hard to drive the whales back to sea but they remain despite their efforts as if they wanted to die. When the little girl noticed the biggest whale and crawled over to touch it she was met by her grandfather’s belligerent attitude that sent her away without touching the creature. After coaxing from his wife to leave the whales and try again the following morning the crowd started to walk away from the scene as if in a funeral procession- all not aware of the little girl, as she slowly made her way to the biggest whale that was said to have a strong traditional back ground. She made her acquaintances with the fail by the traditional nose rubbing which rewarded her with water spraying from its blowhole and this encourages her to mount the whale‘s back where she rubs his head top with her finger tips.

  ACT iii: The grandmother noticed that her granddaughter was nowhere in sight and calls her but was unsuccessful in receiving a response. Her uncle then realized that the biggest whale was gone and that the other whales scattered around were moving back to sea. It then clicked that his niece was gone to sea and there she was on top of the whale. The girl gave her grandfather a long piercing look before she vanishes under the water with the whale. This left the grandmother in tears. The anguish drives her to give her husband the necklace that her granddaughter retrieved from the sea’s shores, but when the realization slapped him in the face he stood and looked out to sea and the story ended with the grandfather and his daughter going out to sea with the necklace around her neck

 and a boat filled with villagers, including her dad, singing their victory song and supporting their new leader.