The Heke family are Maori and live in modern-day Auckland, New Zealand. The family is led by the violent, fiercely patriarchal Jake.

I first saw Once Were Warriors when I was living in Australia and it really opened my eyes!

It unflinchingly deals with such weighty topics as domestic violence, dole culture, child abuse, alcoholism and genuine toxic masculinity. It’s not for the faint-hearted and contains many scenes that are very hard to stomach. Whilst other films may cut away from such material, this film stays with them warts and all. This makes the scenes regarding Jake beating his wife or Jake’s daughter being abused by her Uncle especially hard to watch. But these aren’t done for gratuitousness, they lend a hard edge to the hard existence the characters are somehow surviving. Director Lee Tamahori deserves credit for this.

Credit should also be paid to a fantastic cast but especially to Temuera Morrison who brings Jake to life with acidic zeal. Just as he may be descended from Maori culture, he takes great pride in this even though it means he directs his warrior strength in all of the wrong channels (the pub and the living room). If you only know him from Shortland Street, you’ll be truly shocked by his performance and character here.

Rena Owen as Jake’s long suffering wife also deserves credit.

A tough watch but a rewarding one.

4.5 out of 5 stars