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Utu (1983)

Director: Geoff Murphy

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

This does for the 19th century Land Wars in New Zealand what Ulzana's Raid did for the contemporary Apache campaign in the USA, making it clear that the white man's destiny to conquer new and fertile corners of the earth was totally irreconcilable with the interests and culture of the previous inhabitants. The story of a series of revenge raids by Maori rebel Te Wheke is violent in every sense: in the action of many scenes; in the abrupt changes of tone, from the horror of the opening massacre, through spaghetti Western-style confrontations, to the almost mystical ending; and in the violence it does to the idea of liberal democratic understanding as a universal panacea. There are rough passages and uncertain performances, but both Lawrence as a sort of serio-comic Eastwood figure, and Wallace as the brooding, mercurial Te Wheke, are excellent. A film both fascinating and disconcerting, all but bringing off the gamble of combining a serious look at history with a thrills'n'spills action movie.

Author: NR 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

  • Hazel Henry (GI) said...
    Posted on Aug 01 2007 23:09 i thought that this movie was adventerious and westrern.
    a maori man named Te Wheke finds out that his family had been masacared ankd seeks out utu(revenge). he tumbles across many people that is a barrier into his path. the main confkict is maori angainst pakeha.
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Cast & crew

Director: Geoff Murphy

Producer: Geoff Murphy, Don Blakeney

Cast: Anzac Wallace, Bruno Lawrence, Tim Elliott, Kelly Johnson, Wi Kuki Kaa, Tania Bristowe full cast

Genre(s): Period/Swashbucklers

Duration: 104 mins


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