Once Were Warriors (1994) User Reviews

Portrait of the self-destructive family

[ExpendableMan · 9/10 · 24 September 2005]

Twenty minutes into this movie, Jake Heke hits his wife in the face. It's not a slap, but the full power of a clenched fist delivered into her jaw. She smashes backwards into a wall and collapses, cursing at him. Jake then picks her up and beats her some more, dragging her bloodied form all across the house and utterly mauling her, destroying lots of the furniture, trashing the living room and breaking glass over the poor woman's frail body. Their friends quickly scatter and retreat out the front, while upstairs the children huddle together in tears, 13 year old Grace Heke more than likely thinking of her earlier remark that "people show their true feelings while drunk." In terms of grabbing the viewer's attention, this entire sequence has more effect than being punched in the gut.

Set in an un-named New Zealand city, Once Were Warriors tells the story of the Heke family. Jake (Temeura Morrison) is a handsome, muscular powerhouse who exudes natural charisma, while his wife Beth (Rena Owen) is descended from a Maori tribe. And while on the surface Jake seems like a loving father and husband, he is a man racked with paranoia and insecurity who is prone to terrifying outbursts of violence, to which he rarely shows any regret. And his behaviour is having an adverse effect on the rest of the family to say the least.

With one son taken away and sent to a Maori reform school and another joining a violent street gang, Beth struggles to keep her family together and the end result is very grim, but nothing less than satisfying. In fact, you'll be hard pressed to turn away from the screen as you get sucked into the characters lives, despite the rather depressing nature of the subject matter.

For while Jake is an absolute monster of a human being, he is still very clearly human. Temeura Morrison's performance is nothing short of exemplary, as he manages to turn Jake into a highly complex character. One moment he seems like the perfect friend, singing a duet alongside Beth at a party with smiles plastered across their faces, the next he is pounding his fist into her face with such ferocity it is almost like he has been replaced with somebody else. It is testament to Morrison's acting skills that while everyone is urging Beth to leave with the children, we can see why she doesn't.

This is a dark film and not especially pleasant viewing. However, it is also a riveting experience and far from a portrait of one man's self-destruction, as the rest of the family also have their own characters fleshed out and fully realised. One brief review like this cannot adequately portray what a terrific film this is, highly recommended.

The review I did in English

[mickstachef · 9/10 · 20 June 2006]

For a movie watched in Year Twelve English, Once Were Warriors, directed by Lee Tamahori, was surprisingly moving. With a top notch cast including Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis, the acting is fantastic and goes hand in hand with the tightly scripted pace, which led to an thought-provoking one hundred and two minutes of film.

Once Were Warriors tells a story familiar to many New Zealand families. Set in 1994, against the backdrop of Otara, Auckland, it tells the story of Beth and Jake Heke. Jake is an all round under achiever with a nasty temper and a fondness of beer. He likes to be the king of his state-house castle and his local pub, The Royal. Beth is the strong willed runaway who married Jake against her tribe's wishes. She loves Jake enough to forget the price he is having on her family - Nig, Boogie, Grace, Polly and Huata. Nig is the oldest boy, and hates his father for abusing Beth; his hate leads him to join the TOA gang. Boogie is also getting into trouble and Grace has turned to writing as an escape from her lout of a father. This story forces Beth to confront her husband's violence, and decide which is more important; his "needs" or her family.

The performances in this movie were superb. Temuera Morrison is excellent as Jake Heke. He is convincing as both the "lovable chap", when he and Beth sing 'The Nature of Love', and a frightening monster, when he beats Beth. In the final scene, he is incredible! Despite his violent words (he uses one expletive 17 times in less than 30 seconds), Morrison manages to display a kind of brokenness, that made me feel pity for him despite his previous actions, which most viewers would agree were appalling. Rena Owens was also extraordinary as the vibrant and resilient Beth Heke. She is totally believable. She is Beth. Her acting is incredibly varied. Owens shows Beth's vulnerability. After Jake's beating, she is weak and injured which is a total contrast to the last scene where she is strong even the face of Jake's fury, coming back with "Our people once were warriors. But unlike you, Jake, they were people with mana, pride; people with spirit. If my spirit can survive living with you for eighteen years, then I can survive anything". The performances of Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell (Grace), Shannon Williams (Toot) and Sonny Arahanga (Nig) were also exceptionally moving. Basically, there were very few performances in this movie unworthy of a standing ovation.

Another really positive aspect of Once Were Warriors was the setting. Tamahori's aim was to produce a tough, gritty, urban-based drama, which showed the destructiveness of urban life-style. You don't get much more urban in New Zealand than Otara. The film has amazing contrasts in it with setting. As a New Zealand movie, you expect beautiful mountains, hills, lakes, the clean and the green, and the beautiful first shot sets the scene for such things. When you see it's just a billboard and that the closest the Hekes have to that ideal is the dead-looking tree in their backyard, it reinforces that idea of the country as a nurturing place. Even the lighting and colors of the places help with this. Otara is dark, shabby, and gray. There's no color in their home or in their lives. The Marae, set in the country, by a beautiful lake, is bathed in golden light, symbolic of the joy and color within them at this time.

There was a lot of good stuff about this movie but it also had its down points. There was a lot of violence which is important to the story, but was a little too graphic and hard to watch for some of the people in my class. It also tends to present the view that all Maori people are constantly drunk and swearing; that none have jobs or cars; and that all they do is drink, have parties and beat and rape people. The only ones that don't live on Maraes. This movie deals with the huge international issue of domestic violence, and although the Heke family is Maori, these are issues which affect all races and societies. It also shows the power and beauty of the Maori culture, and makes you understand that Jake is not the ideal role- model for any society.

This movie IS good, but don't be under the impression it's a "feel good" favorite that you'd like to gather your family around for a light evening of entertainment. This movie is basically a tell-all on domestic violence. It shows violence as the ugly thing it is. Once Were Warriors is not for fun, this is a drama that really makes you think, discuss, confront and actually do something about problems in your society. It is a worthwhile watch, if you can approach the film with an open mind.

A great film

[=G= · 8/10 · 18 September 2003]

"Once Were Warriors" tells of one woman's struggle to free herself and her family from the fist of abuse, the grip of oppression, and the slow assassination of self esteem at the hands of an alcoholic husband. This film's story of a Maori (indigenous New Zealanders) underclass family shows the male turning to violence and self destruction to vent frustration with his plight while the female draws strength from her cultural heritage in an attempt to save her children and restore their dignity. Gripping, intense, and powerful, "Once Were Warriors" is a critically acclaimed must see for anyone into serious human drama. (A)

Beautifully acted, powerfully moving

[manalone923 · 10/10 · 15 October 2003]

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.

brutal & compelling

[mighty_pickman · 10/10 · 12 February 2003]

One of the best films of the 1990's, a brutal, brilliant & compelling film from New Zealand. Brilliant performances from Morrison, Owen & Kerr-Bell as Gracie. Morrison as Jake is one of film's most fearsome characters, full of true anger & hate but by no means a one-dimensional character. As see the characteristics that made Beth fall in love with him in the first place, the passion, the charisma. A great script based on the novel of the same name. A must see 10/10

A Powerful Depiction of a Family Coming Apart

[FADrury · 21 November 2003]

There are films where you can see extensive carnage and it doesn't move you. This is a film where you see a man hit his wife and it hits you in the gut like you're being hit yourself. An excellent depiction of the impact of anger and violence on the members of a poor family. In this case, they happen to be Maoris living in New Zealand. The father dominates the family because he is so powerless in the other facets of his life. He's addicted to boozing and carousing and the only way he can really express himself is with his fists. The wife fights back, but can be beaten into submission. But she's also allowed herself to be seduced by the boozy lifestyle and fears responsibility. The center of the family is the oldest daughter (13), who is really the only one who can communicate with all the other members. The boys are either lost in life or lost in their own rage. The youngest daughter is simply too small and clings to her sister. It takes a tragedy to allow some of these individuals to reach out for each other and try to re-create a form of family life. A very powerful film, not for the faint of heart.

The most devastating, depressing, and disturbing film I've ever seen in my life.

[Emunah · 10/10 · 10 June 2009]

I'm too speechless to say anything at length. The movie was... gut wrenching. I don't know if I can even recommend this film to people, because I'm seriously afraid it will give people nightmares for days on end. "Once Were Warriors" is a tough as nails, stomach churning, psychologically scarring and disturbing film about people and things that most are not even aware of exists. The whole cast should be commended for their incredible and brave performances. The person who deserves the most credit is Rena Owen who plays the female lead. Her performance blew me to pieces... she was absolutely superb. I've seen a lot of movies in my life, but never... never anything like this.

NOT FAR FROM FACT.

[LoneHamo · 10/10 · 27 October 2000]

As a Pacific Islander (Samoan), I could relate to the characters in this film, especially the father Jake The Muss. As a warrior people, Islander life is hard, and it comes with the damage that was introduced to our people from European intervention back when Island people first had contact with the expeditious Europeans.

The Pacific Island people of Maori, Tonga, Hawaii, Fiji, Tokelau, Easter Island, Tahiti, and Samoa to name a few, have all felt the results of European and American intervention. This film epitomizes the lifestyle of people who were once chiefs, warriors, and royalty, and the results of the alcohol and western ways that produced characters like Jake and many Islanders like him.

Our people were a race of proud warriors, and this film is powerful in it's depiction of a family torn apart due to the effect of substance abuse on the warrior and his family. It is sad, but I can relate because I was that way with my first wife. I drank, and confided in the comfort of my Samoan brothers placing them first before my family. I beat my wife constantly and with little or no provocation, and was able to hold a reputation as a gang elder and fighter within my hood in Los Angeles, CA. This ripped my family apart, as the Heke family in the story. The guilt of my past life appeared before me when I saw the film, and even now I cringe from the life I lead 12 years ago.

The depiction of Maori lifestyle is on point, as a large number of my people live in those conditions. Among Samoans, there are more of us on mainland USA than back home. Many Samoans (like the Maori's in the film)live in urban areas, infected with substance abuse, and gangs. Violence is an everyday thing, and the movie depicted all of these points. NOT FAR FROM FACT.

Solid

[dwejbe · 6/10 · 16 December 2011]

"Once Were Warriors" was a pretty good film. its starts out with a cool laid back family, but then then the family just gets ripped apart. Very violent film in my opinion, it kind of reminds me of a graphic comic book for adults. the film deals with real crazy issues with a family and takes it to a whole another level. The movie reminds me of "the Warriors" just on there style and it's different approach to making a movie. The music that is being played in the film has a type of reggae rock type feel. It goes perfect with this film because reggae has that laid back feel when you are listing to it and the rock music gives the movie some energy and some power.

Just like to clear up some misconceptions.

[kiwibeca · 10/10 · 22 August 2003]

I've been reading the comments that people have made on this brilliant piece of film making that makes me proud to be a kiwi. Although I'm not Maori, I have somewhat of an understanding of, and a very deep appreciation for Maori culture. It is after all a major contributor to the uniqueness of New Zealand, and it's what a lot of the tourists come here to see/experience.

Some people have commented that the character of Beth is "descended from Maori royalty" and that the character of Jake is "descended from slaves". That's not quite correct. Although there is a Maori monarch; (Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the current Maori queen lives at the Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia, her official residence.) the Maori monarchy only goes back to the 19th century, and its not really representative of all Maori as it only really affects Waikato iwi/hapu, (tribe/sub tribe) It is more likely that Beth would be descended from chiefly linage, and hence she and her whanau, (extended family) would be very much aware of and in tune with their whakapapa or ancestry. Beth's line near the end of the movie that her people "once were warriors" is an indicator of this.

(The facial and body tattoos, or Moko that one sometimes sees Maori wearing are in fact representative of their whakapapa. Also, the carvings that feature on Marae and other carved Maori buildings/gates etc are representative of tribal ancestors, much like Indian Totem poles.)

Jake on the other hand is obviously urbanized. He would most probably know little or nothing about his whakapapa, and in addition he probably would not even be able to identify with an iwi or hapu. This would explain why he makes several references to "Maori bulls***". He is disenfranchised from his culture, and probably doesn't even speak Maori that well. (Although Temurera Morrison himself speaks fluent Maori.) His family have obviously been living in Auckland for so long, and there has been such tribal intermingling, that he doesn't know whether he's Arthur or Martha. And what's more, he doesn't care either.

(For those of you who are interested, the motorway shown at the start of the movie is the Southern Motorway which runs right through South Auckland, which is where *a lot* of Maoris and Pacific Islanders live.)

As other people have said, this kind of thing is sadly not unique to Maori, as American/Canadian Indians and Australian Aborigines can testify. Likewise domestic violence itself is not only limited to minority ethnic groups.

This is easily one of the best movies that I have ever seen. So if you haven't had the privilege of seeing it yet, then I highly recommend that you do so. George Henare's stirring Taiaha scene alone is well worth the cost of getting the movie out.

(A Taiaha is a Maori spear. To use one of these, one must have immense mana, or importance. As Henare's character said, the British *feared* the highly skilled Taiaha warriors.)

Gritty, visually appealing, excellent mixture of influence and innovation.

[StompingJoe · 7/10 · 20 December 2010]

What struck me at first was definitely the font and the color scheme of the film, it promised an experience like no other, probably the closest you can connect the style with is a mix of Crank 2 subtitles with a Mad Max feel in terms of general concept. The opening shot showed what people think of New Zealand, then pans out to the real world with characters filling that gritty universe that had a bit of a "Do the Right Thing" feel to it- constant, turbulent social interaction on the brink of a massive chain reaction which does end up resulting.

Some of the acting was a bit off, for instance the eldest daughter and the father's reaction when he finds out what actually happened to her at the end (the guy who caused the whole thing should've been brutally murdered). Then some actors could have been fleshed out a LOT more, such as the two eldest brothers in the family- one a sissy that learns how to fight with a stick and another one that joins a gang. Though they did learn how to stand up for themselves and act like men, big brother still felt like a promising Mad Max scoundrel. As for little brother, he still ends up as an inferiority complex wired boyscout that can swing a stick around, so much potential wasted.

But other than that, I absolutely loved this film. It was visually appealing, the plot was painful (in a good way, masochism?) to experience and certainly thrilling. The simple fact that it could have been even more than it was? Not a bad thing- it only shows that the conceptual seed of the screenplay was one that would be sure to later grow into a grand old oak tree instead of at most a small bush.

Riveting & Emotionally Raw

[llytn · 10/10 · 17 March 2006]

I wasn't going to watch this movie when it came on but I couldn't turn the channel. This is a movie that makes you feel like you are there in the middle of it. If you have ever been in a relationship that is so violent like this one, you will relive it to the point of near panic when you know that moment that Jake will blow up.

This is absolutely one of the best films I've ever seen. This is the first time I have ever written down who the actors were so that I could check them out and see what else they were in. The group that Nig was in were the most frightening men I have ever seen. They make Hells Angels look pretty meek & mild.

I felt for the New Zealand natives. This film showed their pride and that the Warrior Spirit is not dead. And unfortunately shows the prejudices that still plague our world and morph into hatred and anger.

I was so impressed with the actors and didn't once think of them as acting. There were wonderful things happening and there were tragic things happening. The children's pain was real,the fathers rage was electric. My emotions were so raw that I found myself holding my breath in fear they would know I was watching!

Every once in awhile a great movie rolls along, and as usual, it rolls in quietly and unassuming and hits you like a lightening bolt! This is that one movie for me. Everyone should see this film!!!!!

Film 7 - User Comment for "Once Were Warriors"

[jimmytimmy1 · 7/10 · 15 December 2011]

"Once Were Warriors", a modern story of a Maori family living in Auckland, New Zealand shows the unfortunate psychological effects and consequences that can befall people when they have been colonized by a foreign power and long been removed from their native cultural heritage and customs. This is exemplified mostly in the characters of the father Jake Heke and his two delinquent sons Nig and Mark – a.k.a. "Boogie". This film shows very clearly how a life of confusion, alcohol abuse, and utter violence can result when people either never were in touch with their cultural heritage or just do not show much interest or respect for their cultural past to do so. An interesting point in the film is when Jake Heke does not even want his daughter to be buried traditionally among her ancestors. "Once Were Warriors" is a classic example of how cultural alienation can cause some people to be at odds with themselves and not know who they are inside. This film shows not only how people suffering from cultural alienation causes them to be disconnected from their roots – but how when people are disconnected from their roots they also become disconnected from themselves.

Kinda powerful, but very clichéd and cheesy

[fresh_ · 5/10 · 4 May 2005]

I was really surprised that this film got such positive feedback. I watched it in college last year for some reason I really can't remember, and I found a lot of it laughable. I see that it addresses social and domestic issues such as sexual abuse, domestic violence and the marginalisation of the Maori descendent's within New Zealand, but the costumes are just so unbelievable 80's, leather waistcoats and stuff like that, and the little electric guitar chords played every time there's a transition between scenes... I mean it just makes it hard to take it seriously. I've never been to New Zealand, but I can't believe that on every ghetto corner there's leather clad muscle men with tattooed faces pushing weights and beating the crap out of each other (I may be wrong though, and so seriously anyone that has more first hand experience, please feel free to correct me). I'm not saying that I don't believe that there's violence, I mean living in Nottingham in England I've been jumped 3 or 4 times within the last couple of years, I just think without using such cheesy, stereotypical and unrealistically 80's looking characters it would've been a lot easier to watch and the message would've been a lot more potent. Apart from a few moving (and sometimes very unpleasant) scenes, it was overblown, unrealistic and generally pretty awful. It seems that a lot of people will disagree with me on this one... it's got me quite confused to be honest, I saw it in the top 50 independents section and clicked on it expecting it to be a different film... Anyway I personally didn't think much of it, but a lot of people did so I won't tell you not to watch it. I'll just assume I missed something. Edit: Just to clarify, I'm really not saying this to get people arguing or to get attention or anything, i genuinely don't understand the status this films achieved... to be honest I'm gonna watch it again and see if my opinion changes, 'cause I've just read through about 6 pages of positive reviews!

A True Pot of Emotions

[jasmin4life · 6 August 2004]

This movie is based on a modern day New Zealand family, dealing with near poverty and violence from all sides, including the often inebriated father.

The acting in this movie was just plain amazing. I was hooked from beginning to end, entranced with the wide range of feelings and emotions the movie evoked in me.

You will cry, laugh, sing, and rage right along with the characters, and you will find it hard not to restart the movie just to watch it again.

This is just one of the few movies that stayed with me all these years, since first seeing it back in 1995. I will never forget this movie, and if you watch it, I can guarantee that neither will you.

provocative and outstanding

[thehot12004 · 10/10 · 22 March 2005]

Once Were Warriors follows the experiences of a Maori family living in poverty in New Zealand. Jake Heke is an abusive husband who regularly gets drunk and hits his wife, Beth, whistle at the same time it is still apparent that he does need his wife and children. Beth is the long suffering abused wife who tries to see the good in Jake even though she knows what he does is wrong. Nig is about to join a violent gang whistle boogie is always getting in trouble with the police and is close to being sent to a children's home. Finally Grace is the one person who has not been affected by Jakes violence, however, Grace suffers an excruciatingly painful ordeal that will change her and her family forever.

Lee Tamahori directed Once Were Warriors in 1994, a time in which women were beginning to disperse the male-dominated society. The issue of domestic abuse is candidly approached without portraying Beth as a stereotypically abused wife. Lee Tamahori also expertly manages to ensure that Jake is not viewed as another stereotypical, immoral abusive husband.

The film also deals with social and economical circumstances within a working class Maori culture in New Zealand. Although they are both of Maori descent, Jake and Beth had very different backgrounds. Jake was a working class man with no real expectations and Beth was a Maori tribal princess. The viewer is reminded of their differences at many points during the film so we can see how different they are.

Once Were Warriors is crammed full of effective cinematic devices that allow the viewer to really enjoy the film. The audience is treated to an abundance of different camera angles to reflect the different attitudes and values presented in the film. Lee Tamahori also uses different kinds of music to reflect the emotions of the characters, E.G when Jake is getting angry, we hear a low humming sound and when the whole family is together and happy, a happy and uplifting song is played.

Lee Tamahori has created a groundbreaking masterpiece that has the power to amaze and shock audiences time and time again. However, the real credit must go to the two main actors, Rena Owen and Temeura Morrison. Rena Owen plays Beth with such a convincing performance that the audience actually believes her as Beth and not just a patronising, naïve actor. Temeura Morrison portrays Jake as a complex character that has many other issues and problems besides the drinking and getting angry. Unlike many other actors, Temeura Morrison does not play Jake as a stereotypical abusive husband, which is part of the reason why Once Were Warriors is so powerful and effective. The chemistry between Rena Owen And Temeura Morrison is so compelling, that together, with the amazing screenplay by Alan Duff and direction of Lee Tamahori, successfully render Once Were Warriors one of the most potent and shocking films of the 1990's

Powerful But Hard To Watch

[kaitlincg95 · 10/10 · 6 June 2012]

This film blew me away. The acting was absolutely perfect; each character seemed so real, that at times it was easy to get very caught up in the story.

The story, though painful, is very moving. I don't think I've ever watched another movie that has made me cry so much. But is this bad? Not at all. If you plan on watching this, be careful: it can be triggering, and I'd recommend not watching it all in one night (I watched it in two). It can be very draining. I felt quite sad after I watched it.

Not many people have mentioned the great music. The guitar throughout the movie is very nice, suits the film well.

Highly recommended!

Absolutely Brilliant

[Films_Rule · 10/10 · 18 November 2003]

This movie is almost 10 years old and I just saw it tonight and I was left emotionally drained. This movie is one of the best I have ever seen the acting was first rate and the emotions left me drained I would recommend this to anyone but beware or it's stark reality. This is a wonderfully directed and acted film.

Powerful almost beyond belief.

[pres-05993 · 10/10 · 6 July 2015]

When I attended the Telluride Film Festival in 1994, I picked 6 films on opening day as my choices. Once Were Warriors happened to be the first. By the end of the film, I was utterly stunned. I wanted to tell Rena Owen, the female star, how much I appreciated her brilliant work and the film itself, so I joined the line. By the time I got to the front, I couldn't think of a single word to say to her, instead standing there with tears streaming down my face. Rena stepped forward and put her arms around me and just let me cry. After a few moments, I thanked her and walked away, unable to speak any further.

I spent the rest of the day wandering around just looking at people. I never saw the other five films. To say that OWW is a stunning film is just words. It's ability to connect with the audience and draw us in was simply magnificent.

I rate this film in the top five I've seen all my life.

I found it interesting, too, that when I checked Amazon to see if it were still available, the only copies were listed at $130, a real tribute to this brilliant film accomplishment.

Raw portrait of New Zealand.

[noahgibbobaker · 7/10 · 14 December 2020]

I'm a kiwi and once were warriors is a classic kiwi film that I definitely should have seen earlier than I did. Some of you may know Temuera Morrison, he stars as Jake Heke and he's great, but Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell steals the show as Grace Heke.

I grew up fairly close to where this film takes place in south Auckland so I have a good understanding of the Heke's lives in a way. I don't understand the constant and very violent abuse that takes place in their lives, but I do understand domestic abuse just not to the same extent. Domestic abuse is a huge issue with New Zealand and so is teen suicide, often as a result of domestic abuse. It's also extremely difficult to get children out of their families to give them a proper upbringing in New Zealand, contrary to popular belief not everything is perfect here in New Zealand.

Most of my criticisms are due to the technical elements of the film, and my issues with the technical elements stem from having a very low budget. This film was made for $1.6 million NZD and filmed in only 34 days. The sound design was very cheesy during some moments that are meant to be taken very seriously, these sound effects make it difficult at times. The kind of flashy cinematography I guess you could call it felt a little bit out of place in the gritty, raw environments this film is set in. The actors were also very noticeably pulling punches and holding their emotions back during some of the fight scenes. I don't actually want the actors to hit each other, but they definitely could have tried a little harder than they did.

A lot of different themes like, sexism, domestic abuse, living in poverty and more are touched on in once were warriors, but to me the most interesting element that is explored is the racism that occurs between Maori who originated from slaves and Maori who originated from warriors, the Maori who once were warriors. The reason I find this so interesting is because I don't see this analysed very often and I really respect the filmmakers taking the challenge on. Usually when tackling racism in film the filmmakers take a more black and white approach (pun intended) rather than taking on a challenge like the one Lee Tamahori takes on here.

There's quite a lot more I want to mention, but I'll leave it for now. Once we're warriors is a must watch film for anyone who grew up in New Zealand or has lived in New Zealand at any point in their lives. I'd recommend watching it anyway but having an understanding of the culture is definitely important to take into account. The raw portrait of my home is something I haven't seen much, that's why I found once were warriors to be so challenging and also refreshing.

One of the best movies you will ever watch!

[angela_linacre · 10/10 · 17 May 2018]

Ask me to name a favorite movie and this one is in my top 10 if not my number #1. Can't watch it enough. Brutal. Powerful and Emotional!

personal response to the movie

[morgan-e-gray · 7/10 · 17 December 2010]

This movie was very powerful in showing the problems of a dysfunctional family. This family seems to be normal in the sense that they love each other and are always there for each other, but as the movie progresses we realize that that is not that case at all. The father is selfish and doesn't really care or shows that he cares about his children, he only cares about his friends and partying with them whenever he wants. The mother is a great role for this movie, she is very caring but somewhat of a pushover. The family isn't functional together, its more of the children taking care of themselves and the parents providing a house and food, that is all. Gracie seems to be the most caring of the children, her two brothers are not very helpful and have come to realize they really only care about themselves and their lives. Towards the end of the movie the children come together to save the family, or whats left of it. It is a very tragic movie and has an unfortunate ending, but it was something needed by all.

The strongest film ever made

[friman-2 · 10/10 · 18 December 2000]

If anybody asked me to name the ten best films I know I would probably give different answers at different times. However, if I had to name the one film that made the greatest impression on me I would never hesitate to name this one.

There are films so brilliantly made you cannot help but love them (Kieslowskis "Blue"), others are funny ("Living in Oblivion"), modern ("Matrix") or any of a thousand different qualities. "Once Were Warriors" has excellent acting, directing, cast and so on, but what truly makes it great is the raw emotion it manages to express. I remember sitting in my chair shaking with fury (anger simply does not describe the emotion) over the injustice of the scene were Grace fetches a glass of water, I almost cried over the scene with the tree and the rope and had difficulty remaining seated to what followed the notebook being glued together.

I live in antipode of the set, in a completely different situation and society but the story still touches me deeply. I recommend different films to different people, with this one exeption. This is a film I think everybody should watch and consider.

Acting was bad but story was amazing

[epichiphop · 7/10 · 4 March 2019]

My title says it all. The actors seemed amateur apart from the two leads. Very gritty and tragic storyline that will maintain your interest

The yawning emptiness

[hasosch · 1/10 · 9 October 2009]

If you belong to a minority and want to publish your poems, your novel or make your film, your chances are normally better than if you belong to the majority, since a certain yet unspecified kind of preciousness adheres to everything that is scarce. If you had your chance to publish your poems which you possibly could not have published if you had written them, let's say, in English instead of Maori, and if someone criticizes your low level of talent, then you have the chance to accuse your perhaps just critique for the suspect of racism. So, if you belong to any minority, you have too invaluable advantages that no one from a majority has and that make you almost invulnerable.

This is the only way I can try to explain to myself why someone whose sanity I would like to presuppose has financed the movie "Once were warriors" (1994). According to the company that produced the DVD, the story of the movie goes around a woman who is abused, violated, humiliated and still tries everything in her force to protect her family. When you actually watch the movie, you realize that both the woman and the man are drinkers. She sits already in the early morning at her kitchen table and drinks bottle after bottle of beer. He does exactly the same, only he does it in the local bar. When he comes home drunk, she is also drunk, when he brings money , they sleep with one another, but when he tells her that he earns 13 dollars less the next months, she keeps provoking him until he hits her. Not even than she stops attacking him with the worst possible vocabulary. He does the same, but in all scenes which the movie shows he is defending himself. Since he is the stronger, she always looses. She sits beaten up on the floor and cries: "Kill me, kill me". One gets the impression that she enjoys that.

Therefore, this is the "story": Father drinks, mother drinks, mother provokes father, father beats mother up. That's it. This is repeated around 100 minutes long. The promoting company must have hallucinations when it saw in this movie any social-critical background. At the end of the movie, the mother blames the father because their daughter hung herself up, although we hear that she was raped by another family member. She turns towards him, says the sentence that became the title of this movie and discloses him that she goes "back to her roots", i.e. she takes all the children and lets someone else pay for their living, because she does not earn money. "Once were warriors" must refer to the New Zealand Wars in the 19th century. However, it is strange that this is brought up in the situation in which the family is, because being a warrior is as untypical for any Polynesian as it can be. Polynesian behavior normally implies going out of the way of any social problem before it even appears. The reason for that may be that the ancestors of the Polynesians, coming to a big part from Europe, by the way, had nobody to fight against when they entered the South Seas Area, so they were not originally warriors. However, the movie has no story, no message, no meaning. It can best shown in which miserable condition today's Maori is, for those who understand the few morsels that they speak. The disaster of the whole film is especially not helped by imposing upon it some weird social ideas at the end.