Not understanding Maori culture, it leaves me lost about what's going on plus it fails to capture my interest. NO

I found it boring and extremely tedious. The characters weren’t at all relatable and there was basically no plot.

Truly effective movies often show you a side of the world you had no idea existed and make you feel like it's been a part of you your entire life. This checks that box emphatically.

One of the greatest movies of all time.

I absolutely hated this movie. Slow-mo was abysmal, the story is horrible and this is so boring the plot doesn't even make sense never watching again. I would rather kiss my cousin than watch. This is the worst movie on the face of the earth. If Elon Musk gave me all his money I would not watch this. I would've hung myself if I was the main character. When she is on the whale she looks like she was high on cocaine. The worst hour and a half I've ever been through.

The movie was okay, Not enough whales for me. The overall concept of sexism is really important for the audience to take on board. As a New Zealander this is the best of the best with scenery and storytelling. The writing in this is better than all of the Comedy shows on channel 2 at 9 pm combined. It's unfortunate that time flies. Two decades on the story is still important but it really is not that interesting anymore. Maybe if they included super hero's it would be more important for today's teenagers

Beautiful stirring film of Maori culture and myths. The young actress was amazing.

The best acting performance from Keisha Castle-Hughes!

Castle-Hughes's pioneeringly empowering breakthrough performance and mesmerizing scenic cinematography, as well cultural exploration, uplifts the film from its pedestrian pace. (B)

I thought that this was a wonderful movie. Although the plot isn't atypical, the beautiful quality and poignant message of the film more than make up for it. The only reason I depleted half of a star is because of a singular, somewhat rude comment about a man's weight.

I don't get the love, It didn't work for me on any level.

Great performance by Castle-Hughes and a depiction of the muted group theory

A superb film that beautifully expresses a young girl's indigenous mystically spiritual contact with nature and the sea in the form of a whale, while she battles the gender bias of her patriarchal grandfather. His journey of her whole life in accepting his granddaughter's destiny is told in epic fashion. It's a movie even more empowering for young girls everywhere than a fantasy such a Wonder Woman can ever be!

Heartwrenchingly beautiful and ultimately uplifting!??

A New Zealand Classic

Good ratings, but you wouldn't know it from the comments posted below. Guess all the Super Reviewers are afraid to like a movie that makes them feel good. The family and cultural tension felt real to me. And I was a total sucker for the end. No shame.

Amazingly charming movie and a peek into the Maori culture

Well made but I can't see it holding up to rewatching.

In terms of sheer emotional gravitas, Whale Rider is one hell of a movie. Castle-Hughes was so amazing she reduced me (a grown adult) to tears quite a few times during scenes where she had to constantly try and prove her worth amidst a male-centric Maori culture. The constant pin pricks into the cushion of our emotions can be a little draining but that said, it's one of the most wonderful movies to come out of Oceania.

The movie was truly a spiritual masterpiece...