Excellent to watch and discuss as a family.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 29, 2010

Newcomer Castle-Hughes' unaffected, confident turn makes it credible our heroine might retain her determination and self-worth despite serial setbacks.

Full Review | Jul 22, 2008

The filmmaker knows how to seduce an audience without making it feel had. When a movie's this likable, it would take a very tough crowd not to be pleased.

| Nov 1, 2007

Niki Caro roots her characters in a landscape equal parts mundane and boundless, incorporates tantalising sea photography and Lisa's Gerrard's ambient soundtrack, and lifts off into a sublime, Elysian ending.

| Jan 26, 2006

Like a breath of fresh South Pacific air, director Caro combines classic themes with a little-seen cultural perspective to come up with an uplifting crowd-pleaser.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 4, 2004

Caro seems less concerned with evoking the economic or socio-political baggage bringing the film's characters down than she is with telling the same sappy tale of patriarchal perseverance we've seen so many times before.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Oct 16, 2003

The most effective and moving female empowerment movie in awhile.

Full Review | Original Score: A+ | Jul 3, 2003

Every bit as bold and uplifting as its title suggests.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 1, 2003

A pitch-perfect example of how to craft a personally resonant film that speaks to all cultures at all times.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 29, 2003

[The story] is so simple that the audience gets ahead of it from the beginning.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Jun 27, 2003

The film is closer to a feminist tract. And, like all propaganda, it wants to do all of your thinking for you.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 27, 2003

It's enough to make you think people really can talk to whales.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jun 27, 2003

A whopping good yarn.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Jun 27, 2003

A film of elegant simplicity that seamlessly combines reality and mythology. It's also one of the year's most beautiful films.

| Original Score: A- | Jun 27, 2003

Whale Rider is one of those book-me -a-ticket yesterday movies.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jun 27, 2003

A whale of a tale.

Full Review | Original Score: A- | Jun 27, 2003

Refuses to get its toes wet, instead retreating into goody-goody fantasy.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 26, 2003

Truly, this is a movie that sprints far beyond its traditional female empowerment roots and cements itself as one of the very best films of the year.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jun 25, 2003

Features one of the finest child performances in years.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jun 20, 2003

A thoughtful, vivid spiritual coming-of-age story that transcends its particular cultural context.

Full Review | Jun 20, 2003