I think that the movie `Whale Rider' is a really great movie because it does not only introduces a whole new culture and a different way of living but also tells about the hopes, believes and loves of people in a very different way. Besides that the actors of the movie are really very successful, we know that the main character was the youngest Oscar nominee with her performance although it was the first time she was acting in a movie.
I do not consider the Maori people as the people of New Zealand, and I do not think that the movie gives us information about the New Zealand people and their life styles. The whole thing is rather develops in a different world, a world that is ancient and unchanged. While watching the movie, we see lots of different things such as the traditional greetings of people by using their noses and heads or the chants(traditional songs) that they use to express their feelings. These are very interesting for me to learn and watch, I felt like as I am 8 or 9 years old and watching a documentory about a country that I have never seen before.
It was also very interesting for me to see and experience the feelings of love, hope or commitment in a very interesting way. I mean Pai loves her grandfather very much but it is a different kind of love that I have never seen.
I want to say why is the movie is really really great. The whole thing is about people from a different culture and a different world as I said before, and they do such weird things and you think that `ok, it is a part of their culture' and you somehow accept everything. But at the end it almost makes you believe that, Pai is really a prophet and she really can communicate with the whales and she did really rode that whale and all. The movie really makes you to believe that all the things are real.
In addition, the main actor Pai, really acts great, very good for her age and experience. Maybe it is because of their culture and all the kids of Maori are like that, but when she is sad and looks at you you get sore and when she is happy it makes you feel good. I think that is called good acting.
