What makes it different from others?

One of the best films i have seen

Fantastic!

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

I see this movie has been given a bit of a drubbing by many critics. This is somewhat confusing for while it may not be "Gone with the Wind" or "Citizen Kane", it is a far, far better movie than a great many movies that have been reviewed far more favourably.First up I would like to give a HUGE vote of thanks for a movie that shows the Maori people in a positive light, this must be a first. I am fed up to the back teeth with movies that show the gangs and the violence, not that these do not exist in any race, but enough already, we get the picture. What we badly need are some positive role models to aspire to and this movie is a step in the right direction. So bravo for that. Not that Mahana is a "Maori" movie as such, for while the main characters are indeed Maori they could be any race or any mixture of races, they are simply people in a particular time and place, struggling like everyone else. This movie has been described by some as a "pot boiler" and a "melodrama", rather unfairly I feel. I have seen a few potboilers in my time and this isn't one of them. And while there are a number of scenes that are overly sentimental or just plain unbelievable (the opening car chase and the horse in the cinema, for instance) in the overall sweep of the movie I think these are acceptable without rendering the entire movie a "melodrama". Personally I would say that Tamihori/Morrison's "Once were Warriors" is just as, if not more, melodramatic than "Mahana", yet ironically it didn't get branded as such because it was a "serious" movie with "serious" themes, whereas Mahana is "just" a story and doesn't get off so lightly.As stories go it is a relatively simple one, not unlike "Warriors" in some respects since Temuera Morrison virtually reprises Jake the Muss. The acting is superb all round, and the cinematography breathtaking so full marks for technical aspects.Seeing "Mahana" may not have changed my life but then again very few films have. But I enjoyed this movie far more than I expected and felt better for having seen it, so what more can you ask?

'The Patriarch' as a title tells us more about this fine family drama than "Mahana". Right from the opening, you know you're about to be entertained in grand style. The screenplay by Scottish writer John Collee seems to capture novelist Witi Ihimaera's characters with all their charismatic colour but, some unnecessarily crude story elements and predictable situations don't hold up all that well. Temura Morrisson's portrayal of Grandfather is at times a little disturbing in his sternness, bordering on the downright cruel and sets a powerful, if not frightening presence. All performers bring their roles as family members and town's folk to vivid life and the production design creates a powerful atmosphere. It's difficult to find words to do justice to the look of this movie – cinematographer Ginny Loane makes New Zealand's hills and valleys look like heaven on earth! Colourist, Set Decoration, Art Direction and Lighting Masters have infused external and internal settings with a haunting evocation of 50's – 60's moods. There's even a marvelous clip from the above-average 50's western '3.10 to Yuma' – complete with that haunting theme song in all its original arrangements - that I'm sure, would have been lifted right out of the writer's memories from the time. This is movie-making as it once was, real, involving, something many viewers could identify with. It's just a pity the last quarter was not as convincing as the beginning - still, Congratulations are due to those involved – think I might be looking at this one again.

Twenty years ago Lee Tamahori gave us one of the best films to come out of New Zealand with Once Were Warriors, an exploration of masculinity, violence, family and Maori pride. After flirting with big budget Hollywood action films like Along Came A Spider and the Bond adventure Die Another Day, etc, Tamahori returns home for this powerful, uplifting and moving drama set in rural New Zealand in the early 60s that shares a number of similar themes, although it is nowhere near as gritty or disturbing. Based on a novel written by Witi Ihimaera (Whale Rider), this drama centres around the Mahanas, a sheep farming family ruled over by their overbearing and brutal grandfather (Temuera Morrison). But Mahana is also a wonderful coming of age story as fourteen year old Simeon (newcomer Akuhata Keefe) begins to stand up to the grandfather and question some of his beliefs. The consequences of his defiance though lead to rift in the family but ultimately to a reconciliation and the revelation of some long hidden secrets about the truth behind the family's long running bitter feud with their neighbours, the Poata family. John Collee's script does contain the occasional cliché, but this is a superb and entertaining drama. The film looks gorgeous thanks to the widescreen cinematography of Ginny Loane (Shopping, etc) who captures stunning vistas of the windswept countryside and hilly terrain. Reunited with Tamahori, Morrison, best known for playing Jake the Muss in Once Were Warriors, has a fierce, commanding and intimidating screen presence that is put to good use here as the strict patriarch. In his first film role, newcomer Keefe is also a revelation with a strong and intelligent performance in the pivotal role of Simeon, who shows strength and the qualities of manhood demanded by his grandfather. Mahana (aka The Patriarch in some territories) is another winner from New Zealand, whose film industry continues to punch above its weight.

Mahana is exactly what I thought it would be, a testament to New Zealand's cinematic triumphs. It boasted both great acting and a plot that was easily followed by anyone. I loved the underlying Maori'ness of the story and the family dynamics the movie portrayed. There is always a head of the family who is string willed and stubborn. Temuera Morrisson truly came in to his own in his role as Grandfather Mahana, I was steadily reminded of his role as Jake The Muss in Once were warriors many years ago. Simeon Mahana(Akuhata Keefe) was the picture of perfection for his role in this movie he brought such honesty to his character and a truly a breath of fresh air.In turn Mahana was a splendid movie that drove my emotions from one end of the scale to the other I was truly engrossed in the film and every character seems to come alive through the great choices of casting.