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River Queen (2005)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
26 January 2006 (New Zealand) moreTagline:
With darkness all around, only the heart can see. morePlot:
An intimate story set during the 1860s in which a young Irish woman Sarah and her family find themselves on both sides of the turbulent wars between British and Maori during the British colonization of New Zealand. | add synopsisAwards:
3 wins & 6 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Latest MPAA Ratings: #120 (From Rope Of Silicon. 3 September 2008, 8:28 PM, PDT)
Top 10 Indie Queens & Foreign Femme Fatales of 04
(From ioncinema. 1 March 2005)
User Comments:
A wonderful story with too many facets. moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Samantha Morton | ... | Sarah O'Brien | |
| Kiefer Sutherland | ... | Doyle | |
| Cliff Curtis | ... | Wiremu | |
| Temuera Morrison | ... | Te Kai Po | |
| Anton Lesser | ... | Baine | |
| Rawiri Pene | ... | Boy | |
| Stephen Rea | ... | Francis | |
| Wi Kuki Kaa | ... | Old Rangi | |
| Mark Ruka | ... | Hone | |
| Tyson Reweti | ... | Tommy Boy | |
| Grayson Putu | ... | Young Wiremu | |
| Nathan Passfield | ... | Boy (7) Years | |
| Laura Coyte Douglas | ... | Theresa | |
| Julie Ranginui | ... | Old Puhi | |
| Brandon Lakshman | ... | Timoti |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for violent and sexual content.Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
Canada:114 min (Toronto International Film Festival)Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreSound Mix:
Dolby DigitalCertification:
Australia:M (re-rating on appeal) | Australia:MA (original rating) | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 (theatrical) | Finland:K-15 | USA:RFun Stuff
Goofs:
Anachronisms: The movie is set in the 1860s, but the lyrics to "Danny Boy" as used in the film were written by Fred Weatherly in 1911. moreFAQ
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Peter Thompson, on this morning's Sunday show, gave River Queen a very favorable review; the review's timing was perfect because last evening Diane and I watched this new Kiwi film and drove home with mixed feelings about what we had just seen.
Thompson's reviews are usually spot-on for us but in this instance we are still not sure. Yes, Vincent Ward's story was superb: huge amounts of recognizable human drama, multidimensional characters, a gigantic historical background and everything framed by New Zealand's natural beauty. Vincent's direction accentuated each of these elements; he made great use of the land's physical beauty as well as the beauty and uniqueness of the individual Maori people. This last comment will take on meaning with the watching of the film because certain Maori characteristics play a huge visual as well as plot role in the film-perhaps unexpectedly for some viewers more than others. Alun Bollinger's cinematography beautifully captures Ward's shot selection; it is impossible to leave the theater and not have been captivated by the physical beauty of the New Zealand landscape.
I think the question must be asked: If I thought the film was so good, why did I only give it a rating of eight? The answer goes to the heart of why Diane and I were both uncomfortable with this superficially great film and that lies in the script, the third leg of Vincent's stool. We both thought the script was overly choppy; there were too many small pieces of story stitched together. I thought the film was too jumpy and that resulted in my concentration moving too quickly from one scene to another. I suppose that is just a matter of cinematic taste particular to one person and should not be used to paint an entire film.
River Queen is definitely worth seeing. The subject matter alone is worth the effort, with excellent acting by all concerned and magnificent scenery beautifully captured in thee film. The film must indeed be judged highly.