The Dead Lands

New Zealand relentless action film is directed by Toa Fraser and Written By: Glenn Standring starring Hongi -James Rolleston, playing a Maori Chieftain’s, son, Lawrence Makoare as a feared warrior and Wirepa Te Kohe Tuhaka as the villain. Hongi has to avenge his father’s death by an act of betrayal of trust. Hongi’s innocence as a boy is tainted by vengeance and he must become a grown up warrior and learn how to fight in order to restore peace and honor to the hearts of his family. A feared warrior has to train him in his quest in the search of Villainous Wirepa to bring justice and avenge his father’s death.

The action happens in a beautifully complex forest where the opposite factions must fight (the battlefield); this sets the mood and pace of this gorgeous and powerful film beautifully and artistically shot. This is a fight to the death, with no hold barred in a giving it all you’ve got. The action and confrontations are beautifully choreographed marked with an enormous energy only hatred can bring in a God’s forbidden and cursed Dead Lands.

The actors are all very impressive in character and commitment to confront each other sides as they are to their own beliefs. Convincing and ferocious these warriors are and show no fear in defending their territory and honor. Who will win? We don’t know until the finale, a show of force and determination. There is no martial art film that gets as close as this one does to actual believable combat in an impressive array of techniques and weaponry and resolved spirit.

These warriors have souls and they show emotions, rage, love, fear, loyalty and team work. The tears are as real as the cries of these warriors in battles with no end in sight. Will the Jungle win? Will peace be attained, will souls find repose, and will warriors get to rest? These actors could well be Oscar contenders as the Film is. They excel at what they do bringing realism to a story that seems never ending but absorbing and entertaining.

“It was screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival where it had its world premiere on 4 September 2014. It was selected as the New Zealand entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards. ”

Personally I believe the film strength relies as much on the convincing natural acting as the story does.

New Zealand film making has scored big here.