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Once Were Warriors

  • 1994
  • R
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
35K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,135
90
Once Were Warriors (1994)
Trailer for Once Were Warriors
Play trailer2:08
2 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeDrama

A family descended from Maori warriors is bedeviled by a violent father and the societal problems of being treated as outcasts.A family descended from Maori warriors is bedeviled by a violent father and the societal problems of being treated as outcasts.A family descended from Maori warriors is bedeviled by a violent father and the societal problems of being treated as outcasts.

  • Director
    • Lee Tamahori
  • Writers
    • Riwia Brown
    • Alan Duff
  • Stars
    • Rena Owen
    • Temuera Morrison
    • Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    35K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,135
    90
    • Director
      • Lee Tamahori
    • Writers
      • Riwia Brown
      • Alan Duff
    • Stars
      • Rena Owen
      • Temuera Morrison
      • Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell
    • 326User reviews
    • 60Critic reviews
    • 77Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 22 wins & 7 nominations

    Videos2

    Once Were Warriors
    Trailer 2:08
    Watch Once Were Warriors
    The Rise of Temuera Morrison
    Clip 4:19
    Watch The Rise of Temuera Morrison

    Photos120

    Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell in Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Rena Owen in Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Julian Arahanga in Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Joseph Kairau, Rachael Morris Jr., Temuera Morrison, and Rena Owen in Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Temuera Morrison and Rena Owen in Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Temuera Morrison and Rena Owen in Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Once Were Warriors (1994)
    Once Were Warriors (1994)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Rena Owen
    Rena Owen
    • Beth Heke
    Temuera Morrison
    Temuera Morrison
    • Jake Heke
    Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell
    Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell
    • Grace Heke
    Julian Arahanga
    Julian Arahanga
    • Nig Heke
    Taungaroa Emile
    Taungaroa Emile
    • Boogie Heke
    Rachael Morris Jr.
    • Polly Heke
    Joseph Kairau
    Joseph Kairau
    • Huata Heke
    Cliff Curtis
    Cliff Curtis
    • Bully
    Pete Smith
    Pete Smith
    • Dooley
    George Henare
    George Henare
    • Bennett
    Mere Boynton
    Mere Boynton
    • Mavis
    Shannon Williams
    Shannon Williams
    • Toot
    Calvin Tuteao
    Calvin Tuteao
    • Taka (Gang Leader)
    Ray Bishop
    • King Hitter (in pub)
    Ian Mune
    Ian Mune
    • Judge
    Te Whatanui Skipwith
    • Te Tupaea
    Rangi Motu
    • Matawai
    Robert Pollock
    Robert Pollock
    • Policeman
    • Director
      • Lee Tamahori
    • Writers
      • Riwia Brown
      • Alan Duff
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Temuera Morrison would get challenged to fight all the time by local thugs after seeing him play Jake Heke.
    • Goofs
      When Beth is being beaten by Jake at the start of the film she is thrown into a mirror which shatters completely. Later when the children are cleaning up the mess the mirror is back on the wall with only a few cracks.
    • Quotes

      [to Beth]

      Jake Heke: Cook the man some fucking eggs!

    • Crazy credits
      Most of the opening credits are either split in half, scattered in different areas of the screen, abnormally shaped or used in small white print. Some are even mixed.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Exotica/Heavyweights/The Wild Bunch/Once Were Warriors (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Once Were Warriors (The Awakening)
      Performed by Tama Renata

    User reviews326

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Beautifully acted, powerfully moving
    I don't know where to start. When I'm asked of my favorite movie ever, this is ALWAYS the first to come to mind. This is one of the finest movies I've ever seen, and I've seen too many to count.

    Once Were Warriors is, at its most stripped, about a woman named Beth and her struggle to just do what's best for her family. She is of Maori heritage, New Zealand's sort of Native Americans. Culture is a proud and powerful aspect of the movie, as Beth's strengths lie in her devotion to her family and her heritage. But that is little comfort, as her daughter is struggling to accept adulthood, her youngest son is heading towards juvenile detention, and her oldest son is fast on his way to joining a brutal gang. Worst of all, her husband Jake is a heavy drinker.

    The film excels at painting everybody in full 3 dimensions. Each of her kids are troubled, but they all have fierce love and respect for their mother. The gang is cruel to the oldest son, but at the same time embraces him. The juvenile detention center separates the youngest son from his only home, but instills in him a pride in his ancestry. And Jake himself is a beast, a man built like a tank who will destroy you with anything available should you spill his beer...but somehow he also comes across as loving Beth. Sometimes.

    The film follows Beth as she does her best to hold the family together even while the various problems tear them apart. At the center is Jake's drinking and further carelessness of his family's dissipation. While Beth's answer is to nurture and aid her children, Jake insists it's best to drink away the problems and quit being so "soft" on the kids. And we watch, through it all, as the family spirals further apart. Near the end, after seeing both happy and horrible things happen to each of the characters, we are jarred by a terrible tragedy. Beth and Jake both deal with it uniquely, as she draws once again on the tremendous power of family and human spirit, while Jake deals with it his own way. The last 15 minutes of the film keep us in suspense as we wonder whether a certain horrible injustice will be confronted, and if so, how. This scenario involves and encapsulates everyone in the family, and who they are inside.

    The last few moments of the movie made me want to jump to my feet and applaud. I won't reveal what happens, but in the last 5 minutes, every person shows so much inner strength that I glow with admiration for their actions. Especially those of Beth and her oldest son, whose interaction with Jake results in my favorite scene in the movie. But don't think you know what's going to happen based on this description -it's a complicated scenario. I felt satisfied with the conclusion on all fronts, and thought that each character showed exactly where their strength lies.

    Be forewarned that this movie is very heartbreaking. Its overall tone is one of futility, of better lives not received, of wanting the best but never quite getting it. It is very raw and intense in its portrayal of physical and domestic violence, and the easily upset may have a hard time waiting to see if it ends happily enough for their tastes. But no matter what your opinion is, it will definitely be a film that stays with you for a long, long time. My highest recommendation.
    helpful•188
    11
    • manalone923
    • Oct 15, 2003

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 3, 1995 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • New Zealand
    • Official site
      • FineLine
    • Languages
      • English
      • Maori
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Колись були воїнами
    • Filming locations
      • Auckland, New Zealand
    • Production companies
      • Communicado Productions
      • New Zealand Film Commission
      • Avalon/NFU
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,608,570
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,608,570
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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