Tracker (2010)

Directed by: Ian Sharp | 102 minutes | action, drama, adventure | Actors: Ray Winstone, Temuera Morrison, Gareth Reeves, Mark Mitchinson, Daniel Musgrove, Andy Anderson, Mick Rose, Jodie Hillock, Tim McLachlan, Stephen Papps, Steve Reinsfield, Greg Johnson

In ‘Tracker’ a stoic South African and a proud Maori are diametrically opposed. One is a bitter tracker, the other a whaler returning to the land of his ancestors. The setting in which the competition takes place is set in New Zealand in the twentieth century. In a hellish pursuit, the two men get to know each other, reluctantly. Their common anger creates a kind of bond that puts all prejudices about each other’s origins in a different perspective.

Arjan van Diemen lost his family and farm during the Boer War. Frustrated, he ventures into the lion’s den and tries his luck in New Zealand colonized by the hated British. Kereama gets into trouble after a romp. Some soldiers want to teach him a lesson and beat him up. During the fight, one of the soldiers accidentally stabs his companion. Kereama, however, is suspected of the murder and flees into the wilderness. The English army recruits Van Diemen to trace the fugitive. What follows is a grueling journey through a phenomenal landscape in which the boulder heads come to an unexpected conclusion. Together, they are united by an indomitable hatred of the British, and their hostile attitude slowly turns into respect.

This smooth adventure film tries to do something with concepts such as origin, personality and bias. In between the action there is some talk about honor and courage. However, the conversations are very mediocre and seem a bit forced. The moment when Kereama starts with a haka, the ceremonial dance of the Maoris, even unintentionally makes the laughter. The character heads of Ray Winstone and Temuera Morrison fit perfectly with the whimsical landscape, but the two actors can’t hide the fact that the scenario doesn’t do much. The only real protagonist is the magisterial nature that presents itself in beautiful pictures.