Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Hunt for the Wilderpeople transforms a fairly unremarkable tale of adoption into a wild and wonderful fantasy, yet again proving that New Zealand may as well just be Middle Earth.

It has all the makings of a new childhood classic: it's got wonder and adventure and loads of humor, and ultimately winds up on the side of optimism - but it also has moments of genuine tragedy and danger.

Gentle and appealing performances can't rescue this facile and cloying comedy.

[Its] sheer good-naturedness pulls off a not particularly inspired crusty-old-coot-thawed-by-young-scamp concept, maintaining an agreeable tonal balance despite occasional wobbles between spoof, sentimentality and silliness.

Warmly funny and deeply delightful.

Sweeping cinematography (by Lachlan Milne) and playful editing (by Luke Haigh, Tom Eagles and Yana Gorskaya) make the adventure all the more majestical.

Broken into ten cheeky episodic chapters and boasting beautiful natural beauty, you will find a fun experience that may feel familiar, yet is wholly unique.

Waititi's long-in-development adaptation of the Crump's classic has a style and wit all of its own. Neill is delightfully grumpy, but it is Dennison who steals the show. The over the top buffoonery of the final chase is a bit much, though

The balance between humanity and comedy is what Taika Waititi does best.

This fun little odyssey pulls from so many directions but always maintains its balance. It’s genuinely tender and sweet but never overly sentimental.