Response to Whale Rider

Whale rider was an interesting movie experience for me because I didn’t much like the movie at all to start with, I felt it was too slow and I kept thinking about the coldness and stubbornness of Paikea’s grandfather. I do agree though, that the complete reversal of the grandfather’s feelings made the end of the movie so powerful. One of the best moments was when the grandfather called Paikea the wise leader and admitted that he had been blind in not recognizing what she was. This was a perfect movie to watch during the feminist movement because it shows very well the amount of effort required of feminists and the persecution they face to change society for the better. Paikea waited the whole movie, suffering at the expense of the culture, to make a difference, but the important thing is that she came through all this and was strong in the end.
My favorite part of the movie was the climax of her ride on the whale through the water. I felt that this was such a spiritual moment for her and it was very moving. I could really see throughout the entire movie that Paikea took the culture seriously and was dedicated to it and her grandfather. Her love was very powerful towards her grandfather no matter what he did, and she didn’t ever blame him and she only disobeyed him to show him that he was confused and stubborn. She always had the qualities of a leader and she finally realized them at the end.