The Hunt for the Wilderpeople explores how the most unlikely

relationships make the most significant difference in one's life.

Discuss.

Within an unlikely friendship, affection can grow due to an understanding of one another's
emotions. This reasoning is communicated in the film 'The Hunt For The Wilderpeople'. Taika
Waititi, the film's director, shows the story of a reckless foster child, Ricky Baker, and his
experience being welcomed into the house of a loving foster mother, Bella and supposed
foster father, Hec, whom he soon takes to calling 'Aunty Bella and 'Uncle Hec'. Despite
resisting and denying it, Ricky finally has stability and a family, but after Bella's unexpected
passing, Ricky and Hec lose themselves in the beauty of New Zealand's wilderness. Soon
becoming the subject of a national manhunt, he doesn't think he'll ever find that safe feeling
again.
Furthermore, 'The Hunt for the Wilderpeople' reveals that the relationship between the
bush and wilderness changes a person's behaviour in many different ways, helping them
find their true self. In addition, the director asserts that family can be individuals we choose
and that biological ties can be transcended. Ergo shows how the most unlikely and
spontaneous relationships make the most significant difference in one's life.

Waititi illustrates how family and stability can provide a person with a positive mindset. The
director portrays this notion when Ricky first comes to live with Bella and Hec. Despite Ricky
resisting it, he finally has stability and a family. Bella 'understands' him and 'what [he's] been
through'—letting him 'call [her] aunty….even though {she's} not {his} real aunty'. Even
saying something as small as 'Have some breakfast, then you can run away' shows Ricky that
while he has support and family, he also has his own space and privacy. Another way to
symbolize home, comfort and just how much Bella loves him is by giving Ricky a hot water
bottle at night. The director also shows how Hec and Ricky's relationship evolves and
strengthens from hate to love. This is demonstrated when Ricky first moves in with the
Faulkners; Hec thinks he is just 'ornamental' and can't do 'farm work'. However, throughout
the course of the movie, they start to grow closer and create an unbreakable bond,
understanding each other in a way no one else can. Moreover, Waititi furthers these
concepts through various examples of cinematography. The high camera angles looking up
at either Hec or Bella show how much Ricky trusts and looks up to them. Waititi further
develops this concept through medium views of ambient lighting and a campfire, signifying
the strengthening of Hec and Ricky's relationship as they reveal their authentic selves and
become more equal to those around them. Thus, 'The Hunt for the Wilderpeople' illustrates
how family and stability provide a person with a positive and healthy mindset.

Furthermore, Waititi explores how the relationship with the bush and the wilderness guides
one to find their true self. The title itself alludes to this important theme in the film. The
story heavily relies on nature. Ricky is inspired by Bella and Hec's ingenuity in the natural
world when he visits them because he can see how 'connected' they both are to the ground
they reside on. He quickly learns how to hunt from Bella, who soon tells him she wishes to
be buried in a bush. Hec is an experienced survivalist who knows exactly how to continue to
stay alive for extended periods in the wilderness. Ricky understands the outdoors from
them and starts to identify as a "wilderperson," or someone who fits in the woods. Even
after everything they have been through, Ricky and Hec still find great joy in venturing into
the bush and spending time in nature by the movie's conclusion, especially after discovering
the huia, a bird previously believed to be extinct.
Moreover, Waititi furthers this concept through several different cinematography features.
For example, ariels shots: Waititi establishes the setting, laying out what lies ahead for Ricky
– a beautiful wilderness he must traverse on the journey to self-discovery. The non-diegetic
sounds of tribal music also have a significant effect, They illuminate how Ricky's time in the
wilderness has brought out the instinct to survive, and he is growing into a resourceful and
confident person in the bush 'always on the move, just like the wilderpeople except
humans. We're [Ricky and Hec] …wilderpeople.'. Ergo, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople
demonstrates how the wilderness guides one to their true self.

Throughout the film, Waititi illustrates how different people impacted Ricky's life and how
family doesn't just mean blood, it's more than that, one chooses who their family is. The
director starts off by showing how Ricky's being in the foster care system and his mother's
abandonment have had an emotional effect on him. Throughout the course of the movie,
Ricky is able to build new connections thanks to his encounters with Bella, Hec, and Kahu, as
well as his bushwalking journey to get away from Bella, his child welfare officer. Ricky
despite not knowing it, seeks comfort and receives it in several different but still effective
ways, from different people. Hec's kind remarks that '[Ricky's mum] loved [him]… [he] is
pretty likeable' further reinforce Ricky's feeling of belonging. Hec's paternal and nurturing
impulses are strong and effective in that moment, as he tells Ricky that he and his mother
truly love and care him, providing Ricky with something he himself never had: a paternal
figure. Ricky and Hec grow closer as the movie goes on. Bella’s understanding and
unconditional love supports Ricky when he needs it most. Bella’s offering of a “hot water
bottle” is a motif and is one of the many symbols of home and Bella’s undying love, care and
understanding of Ricky, providing him a deep sense of comfort for the journey beyond.
While Ricky picks up survival skills and freedom from Hec, Ricky also teaches Hec how to
express his emotions more honestly and instils in him a drive to be happier with himself,
therefore becoming a better person. By declaring, "[Ricky is] not a bloody gangster," Hec
clarifies and invalidates Ricky's use of his "gangster" image and instead sees Ricky as a
dedicated, kind, and clever young child, maturing into a teenager. Ricky also expresses his
emotions of love and gratitude through the only way he knows how: a Haiku poem about
their journey. Hec was startled because he had never had a poem with his name in it and
enjoyed it. As a result, Ricky, without knowing, encourages Hec to be more literate so they
can understand one another more. Moreover, when Ricky is welcomed into Kahu and her
father's home, he forms a new friendship and discusses his personal life with them. By
creating a frame that displays their home with brightly coloured clothing, used sofas, cosy
and soothing wallpapers and drapes, and freezers with pictures of friends and family, the
director captures Kahu's "normal life"—something Ricky had never had the opportunity to
experience. The moving camera shows a closeup of Ricky dozing off on the couch as Kahu
sings for him, reflecting the peacefulness of a "normal life" where Ricky feels safe and able
to unwind. Waititi highlights the idea that family can be made up of people we choose and
that familial connections can be broken in this way.
Ultimately, ‘The Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ reveals that life’s most improbable connections
are sometimes the most influential and meaningful ones. While Waititi espouses the idea
that all relationships have the capacity to change people’s lives, she advocates for the
diversity and benefits of familial bond that is formed beyond blood. The director illustrates
how family and stability can provide a person with a positive mindset. Waititi explores how
the relationship with the bush and the wilderness guides one to find their true self. Thus,
Waititi rejects the concept of family as merely biological and positions the audience towards
the view that relationships by choice can also provide a person with a sense of family and
belonging and have a positive influence in one’s life. Ergo showing that unlikely
relationships make the most significant difference to ones life.

Ultimately, ‘The Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ reveals and demonstrates how the most unlikely
relationships make the most significant difference in ones life. While the director espouses the idea
that the most unexpected relationships make the most difference to ones life and journey to finding
their true selves, Waititi also shows how a positive and healthy mindset can be achieved with family
and stability and how family doesn’t only mean blood: they are people we choose. Thus, the director
rejects the concept of family being only biological and positions the audience to see this. Ergo
showing that the most improbable relationships make the most difference to ones life.

By Sukhmani Walia