Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
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A foster son and his rural guardian become the targets of a nationwide manhunt after fleeing into the New Zealand bush.
The story
Ricky Baker, a child in the New Zealand foster care system who has frequently run away or been let go by other foster homes, is taken in by Bella and her husband Hector. Although Hector is a distant man interested only in hunting, Ricky grows close to Bella. Following Bella's sudden death, Hector learns that Ricky will be relocated by state services. To avoid the system, Ricky fakes his own death and flees into the bush. Hector follows him, and the two become stranded together. When authorities discover the farm, they believe Hector has kidnapped the boy, sparking a nationwide manhunt for the pair.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After fleeing into the bush to escape the foster care system, Ricky Baker and his guardian, Hector, become the subjects of a nationwide manhunt. While stranded, they bond over their shared experiences. The situation escalates when a misunderstanding leads to Ricky becoming nationally recognized. During their journey, they encounter a park ranger and a young girl named Kahu. Despite various setbacks, including a wild boar attack and a decline in Hector's public image, the pair remains together. They eventually find refuge with a man named Psycho Sam. After five months of survival, they are discovered via a mobile connection. The film ends with Hector being sent to prison for a year while Ricky stays with Kahu's family, before they eventually reunite to continue their adventures.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 101
- Production countries
- New Zealand
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Taika Waititi
- Writers
- Taika Waititi · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Sam Neill · Uncle" Hector; Julian Dennison · Ricky Baker; Rhys Darby; Rima Te Wiata; Rachel House
- Genres
- adventure; comedy; drama
- Themes
- found family; survival
- Tone and mood
- offbeat; poignant; funny
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; road movie
- Source material / true-story basis
- Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, with many critics praising Dennison and Neill's performances and chemistry.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 81 · scale: 100 · review count: 30
- Production trivia
- Highest-grossing New Zealand film excluding international co-productions
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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