THE DEAD LANDS

New Zealand, 2014, 107 minutes, Colour.
James Rolleston, Lawrence Makaore,Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan, George Henare, Rena Owen.
Directed by Toa Fraser.

The Dead Lands take place in the past history of the Polynesians who settled the islands of New Zealand, the Maori tradition. The film is principally a cultural story about tribes, conflicts, revenge and the fulfilment of vengeance.

The film shows the confrontation between two tribes, the young warriors, the superior sense of one and the inexperience and age of the other.

However, the young warrior gets the help of a mythological man, considered a monster, but with a sad human history, a man of vengeance who trains the young warrior, comes to his defence, is finally killed, but allowing the young warrior to come into his own, confront his enemy – and, breaking with traditions, spare him, making him swear that he will not revolt, thus humiliating him without killing him.

The photography is impressive, the mountains and woods of New Zealand, a wood Fort, and extensive choreography for a number of battles, between groups, between individuals.

The director, Toa Fraser, made a film which was the exact opposite, the very entertaining and delightful Dean Spanley with Sam Neill and Jeremy Northam.

1. A New Zealand heritage film? The long traditions of Polynesian presence? Cultural traditions? Religious traditions? Warrior traditions? A revisiting of this history?

2. The settings, pre--20th century? The forests, the mountains, the lakes? Homes, forts?

3. The staging of the battle sequences, choreography, traditional fighting methods, weapons, one-on-one battles?

4. The basic situation, the tribes, tribal lands, conflicts, rivalries, tribes becoming weaker, becoming stronger, clashes, confrontations and deaths? Murders, the wiping out of families? Revenge?

5. Wirepa, his tribe, the warriors, manner, dress? Confrontation with the elder, his death, his head on the pike? The young son, fearful, coming to his father, promising revenge, confrontation with Wirepa?

6. The young warrior, going to the elder, his reputation as a warrior, as a monster? His accepting the young man, the details of the training? Preparing him for battle?

7. Wirepa, his men, loyalty to his father, the pursuit of the young man? The decision to go through the Dead Lands? The repercussions, fears and superstitions, dangers?

8. The buildup to the confrontation? The old man, his story, real, his killing his family to please his father, the consequences? The confrontation with the women in the forbidden lands, the fight, the death of the woman? His supporting the young warrior? Going to the cage, entering, the fight with Wirepa, with the other warriors? Fighting to the death? His death?

9. The young warrior, training, skills, in the Dead Lands, his courage, with the old man, listening to his story? The old man coming to the rescue? The final fights, the young warrior and his triumph? The taunts of Wirepa, the other warriors, deaths?

10. The decision of the young warrior to spare Wirepa, breaking the cycle of vengeance?