The Dead Lands (2015)

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The first must-see film of the year.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

THE DEAD LANDS is the Kiwi version of APOCALYPTO, there's no two ways about it. The two films are way too similar for the similarities to be mere coincidences. And as I consider APOCALYPTO to be one of the very best films ever made, this rather low budget riff can't hope to hold a candle to the calibre of the Mel Gibson movie. Even so, it turns out to be quite enjoyable as a straightforward action flick.The story involves an upright, youthful hero whose tribe are massacred by enemies who then escape on foot across a barren and inhospitable landscape. He gives chase but can't hope to tackle them alone, so employs the services of a powerful and infamous warrior who eats the flesh of man to help him. This is where the film gets interesting: Lawrence Makoare (LORD OF THE RINGS) essays the role of the cannibal and is the only fleshed-out character in the whole thing. I love films where the bad guys are the heroes and Makoare's performance makes this film worthwhile and not JUST an APOCALYPTO rip-off.Elsewhere, the film is heavy on the action, although not quite as grisly as you'd imagine. The good news is that the action direction is fine, with choreography allowing you to see the protagonists instead of over-editing things too much. As a whole, THE DEAD LANDS weaves a lush and vibrant-looking picture that brings to life the Maori way, and how many Maori action films do we get in cinema anyway? Watch out for Pana Hema Taylor (from TV's SPARTACUS) as one of the bad guys.

This movie kept me interested all the way to the end despite the subtitles. The language used by the tribes in the movie added to the action and culture they expose you to. This was different and intriguing and I nearly felt I was seeing a piece of these tribes and their ways from hundreds of years ago. The action keeps you going throughout the movie and seeing these cultures in action keeps you in awe. Everything from the the battle scenes, language, scenery, and even the facial expressions captures these ancient people well. I'm the type of person who has to be captured to watch a movie to the end and this one did it. This movie is about ancient cannibal Indian tribes in New Zealand.

I am tempted to call this the "original" martial arts film, the template from which all the others followed.My reasoning? Everything about this wonderful film, the language, the scenery, the actors, the story, the fighting style, -- they bespeak a culture far older than anything in China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, or wherever your favourite fight flicks come from.Something old. Something that speaks directly to your DNA. Something visceral.Running at almost 2 full hours -- which would be a challenge even for JJ Abrams -- there were hardly any lulls.The story was iconic, and mesmerizing.And unpredictable, which is the hallmark of a really good story.Near the end, just when you think you know what is coming, the "odd couple" revenge duo (see the other reviews for backstory) encounter what appears to be a beautiful maiden who ventured into the Deadlands innocently just to capture some birds, because they were scarce in her area.Within a matter of moments -- no one is more surprised than the audience! -- the older man (the young boys Sifu, to continue the metaphor) is fighting this mere wisp of a girl. And the girl almost manages to outfight the man, the very same giant of a man who a few scenes earlier had chewed through a group of young warriors like Jackie Chan in a back alley.Extraordinary and one of a kind.

Finally we have the Maori action movie we have all been begging for! If you have ever seen the Haka performed by the All Blacks, and wondered what these guys would do to their enemies without the limitations of Rugby rules, then all your questions will be answered. The plot is a Kung Fu style revenge tale. A young chief's son vows revenge for some tribal treachery, and hooks up with a mystical, wiser warrior, to take out a small army of baddies. Action movie aficionados will be pleased to see some authentic Maori weapons and fighting choreography, instead of the typical blade weapons and the Asian martial arts we see in countless movies these days. The acting is fascinating because you are basically watching actors represent their own culture from an earlier era, unlike let's say, having a Scottish man portray an ancient Greek warrior in a film. The authentic locations add to the overall realistic effect as well. I'm sure there are artistic liberties taken with the historical accuracy, but nothing as crazy as the 300 franchise. The directing is a bit frantic, with quick cuts and lots of camera movements during fight scenes, but that seems to be the visual style for action movies these days. Overall, this film is a fascinating look at a culture that is completely exotic to the rest of the world because of vast geographical distance and centuries of colonial influence.