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Re: Coming from way behind the curve - Whale Rider

I would agree that I did not find it to be the great film that many consider it to be. But we too often forget the target audience. Some films are not made for everyone to enjoy. Some are made for certain people to enjoy more than other. This is a film made for younger audiences, the target audience being the young teen set, for whom most movies made consist of stupid teens (Olsen twins), or light sex and gross out fests. Another M.P.A.A moronic decision was making this a PG-13.

Sometimes you must change your expectations a little to appreciate a film. Watching this film with the same eye you would of a foreign film, you probably would not appreciate "Whale Rider." I watch a fair number of foreign films, which I enjoy very much, but I must admit that they tend to completely ignore the younger market.

Whale Rider succeeds very well in telling a good story to younger viewers, who do not want, nor need, to see extreme emotional sweeps in their films. Wizard of Oz did not have many emotion sweeps beyond happy and sad, yet it is arguably the best film for young (and old) viewers ever made. If a studio takes the risk to make an intelligent, uplifting story for younger audiences, whether it may be a little syrupy, I say, good for them. I'll happily take a little syrup if what is underneath if worth eating.

With respect to the female lead: this was her first acting role. She had to play a somewhat defiant, scared, and ultimately, brave girl. She must literally carry the film, because if she is not likeable, then the film fails. That a twelve year old girl carried this film on her shoulders, I cannot criticize. I assume if we consider the emotions to be sadness, happiness, anger, fear, etc., I think that she succeeded in showing the emotions she needed for the story.


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