Ka Whawhai Tonu – Movie Review
4th World Media Lab and the cINeDIGENOUS Spotlight at the 2025 Seattle International Film Festival.
First Reaction – Ka Whawhai Tonu shows the bravery, determination in conflict.
Director: Mike Jonathan
Writer: Tim Worrall (Screenplay)
Cast
- Cliff Curtis (Hobbs and Shaw)
- Jason Flemyng (A Working Man)
- Temuera Morrison (Aquaman)
- Miriama Smith (Power Rangers Dino Thunder)
- Jack Barry (The Convert)
Plot: Set in New Zealand in 1864, follows the story of a crucial conflict of the nation’s first land warfare, fought between Māori and colonial soldiers against insurmountable odds.
Runtime: 1 Hour 55 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Ka Whawhai Tonu starts as a Māori leader, Rewi Maniapoto (Morrison), prepares his warriors. They have captured family members of the colonial soldiers and are deciding what to do with them. Meanwhile, a young member plans to help the hostages who want to live and are not in the fight.
However, the soldiers continue to pile on the pressure, leading Rewi to need his warriors to fight back. Against the odds, they must figure out how to overcome them and keep their land.
Verdict on Ka Whawhai Tonu
Recap
The movie follows the conflict between Māori and colonial soldiers. It follows the Māori warriors needing to overcome the odds to survive and maintain their beliefs in how they conduct themselves in conflict.
Best Parts
The movie shows the conflict in detail, showing how odds the Māori people faced. It uses the conflict within themselves to show how they only fight to protect themselves. All while having a connection between younger members of the war wanting to live in peace. This is a dive into a battle a side fought against the odds and refused to let them stop them from fighting. As well as showing another series of details of a native people being invaded. The performances are strong throughout and help tell the bigger story amidst the conflict.
Worst Parts
It shows the importance of the battle but deep down the battle sequences don’t feel like anything we haven’t seen before.
Final Thoughts –Ka Whawhai Tonu show the brutal fight for land.
