You knew I had to be the fat kid at some point…..

For this next film, there was an air of uncertainty on the choice as I wandered through the empty cinema, clutching my newly acquired ticket. After all, the film stems from people who worked on the previous effort from New Zealand, What we do in the Shadows. When I catched the film on Netflix some time after release, I could see where there were some amusing situations, and the set up for it wasn’t too bad but a lot of it was just not my cup of tea. Sadly I barely remembered what happens to be honest aside from something with beans at some point. So in many ways, expectations were set lower before heading in.

Just as I was heading for the entrance of the screen, a ton of people were just leaving another screening. That screening of course was of the latest chick flick type thingy, Bridget Jones’ Baby. The crowd themselves were an onslaught of hip and happening women, who also dragged their boyfriends along. You could have just played “Here Come the Girls” as they walked out, where it then turns out to be an advert for sanitary towels from Boots and then you’d have the idea of what it looked like to me.

Wandering into screen 1, I was greeted with the presence of only four other people, who basically also didn’t want to see Renee Zellweger destroy the English accent again. I instantly knew I had made the right choice here.

Enough rambling, what is Hunt for the Wilderpeople then? Well it’s actually just a slower pace chase film when you boil it down. You have two main characters helping each other to survive, but also learn from each other. That’s even despite the fact that the kid Ricky played by Julian Dennison thinks he’s gangsta and Uncle Hec played by Sam Neill, well, just hates him. Come to think of it, Sam Neill doesn’t really like anyone that much in this film. But how does this all come about? Well our wee scamp Ricky has been handed over to Sam Neill and Rima Te Wlata (Aunty Bella) by social services because he’s been a bit of a pr*ck.

SSHHHHH, be wery wery quiet, I’m hunting new zealanders! huh huh huh huh!

When Bella passes away, and social services decide to come get Ricky, Ricky decides to bugger off into the wilderness to escape where Uncle Hec catches up with him, but hurts himself in the process. Cue a wonderfully weird conclusion reached by the social services lady played by Rachel House, and a national man hunt for the pair begins, culminating in some frankly ridiculous setups and good laughs.

A real highlight, was involving Rhys Darby as Bush Man (yeah, you just have to see it) where he’s just a complete nutter who doesn’t realise he can’t escape down a hole he hasn’t dug out yet. When you see it, it’s just a brilliant delivery and just adds to the chaos that occurs on screen towards the end.

But one note should go to the locations used, which is fantastic and really ensures you see they are far away from civilization and it looks wonderful. Even if it also leads to a mandatory Lord of the Rings joke later on! The simple set up between everyone with a small cast where they do quite a bit with a limited budget, and to be frank this turned out to be better than a lot of the films watched at the cinema in recent memory.

So in conclusion, is this worth seeing at the cinema then or even just on release on shiny disc shortly?

Considering a lot of the other choices right now at this time of year, I would be very happy to say yes. Not everyone will laugh out loud at this and perhaps not get some of the humour involved, especially with the New Zealand sense of humour on full display here. Nevertheless this was an enjoyable tale which starts awkwardly as you would expect given how everyone comes together when Ricky is dropped off by social services, but yet finishes very well with a heartwarming ending, and I left the cinema with a smile on my face.