"There is, however, no rule that says Christmas movies must include Christmas. Which is why Taika Waititi's Hunt for the Wilderpeople is the perfect Christmas movie. To check some boxes for the yuletide pedants: it has snow. It even features Carol of the Bells (or at least its Ukrainian predecessor, Shchedryk). And while the holidays aren't explicitly mentioned, Hunt for the Wilderpeople has the spirit of an antipodean Christmas an odd-couple adventure bursting with humour, irreverence and endlessly quotable lines."
"Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) is a real bad egg his preteen rap sheet includes spitting, running away, throwing rocks, kicking stuff and that's just the stuff we know about. Waititi introduces Ricky like a Clint Eastwood character; he wordlessly circles his last-chance foster home, then tries to climb back into the police car that brought him there. But Ricky soon warms up to the infectiously affectionate Aunty Bella (Rima Te Wiata)."
"In the hands of any other director, Ricky and Hec's story could easily become saccharine, but Waititi makes it a rollicking good time replete with car chases, shootouts and Lord of the Rings references. Ricky is an aspiring gangster while Hec is a practised bushman, and they sling insults and haikus at each other in equal measure. It's a rare found family narrative that feels like actual family: squabbly, antagonistic and entirely sincere."
Hunt for the Wilderpeople presents an odd-couple adventure set in New Zealand that evokes a Christmas mood without naming the holiday. The film includes snow and a rendition of Carol of the Bells (Shchedryk). Ricky Baker is a troubled preteen who bonds with warm Aunty Bella and surly foster father Hec. After Bella dies, Ricky and Hec flee into the bush and become fugitives, relying solely on each other. Taika Waititi balances sentiment with slapstick, car chases, shootouts and pop-culture references. The relationship develops into a squabbly, sincere found-family portrait packed with quotable lines.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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