Film captures girls struggle

The dreams and struggles of children are hard to epitomize in a film or story. "Whale Rider" takes the ambitions and strengths of a young girl and lays them before an audience in a way that leaves hearts pounding with raw emotion. "Whale Rider" is a moving story filled with the hope and perseverance of a girl who has the drive to overcome the confines of being born female rather than male in her New Zealand tribe. Director Niki Caro creates a film which is enchanting by nature and irresistible to viewers. The scenery and honesty of "Whale Rider" is difficult to beat and is certainly one of the top new releases of the year. The fictitious story exudes magic and morals as it describes a tribe which descended from the whale. Their traditions include tribal rituals and the need for a boy to be the chief of the group. When the chief's son's wife goes into labor, expecting twins, the chief of the tribe is thrilled, with the expectation of one of the babies being a boy to take over as chief. However, due to birthing complications, both the young mother and one of the babies dies. The baby who dies happened to be a boy and is survived by his twin sister, Pai. The chief is devastated by the death of his presumed heir and rejects his granddaughter, seemingly blaming her for her twin brother's death. The chief and his wife raise the little girl, Pai, yet she is isolated due to the fact that she could not take over the tribal heritage due to her sex. The chief begins a search throughout the community for a new chief, all the while ignoring his granddaughter who has secretly been learning the male oriented tribal rituals. The movie encompasses all elements of true spirit as young Pai struggles to prove herself beyond all difficult standards which her grandfather has set for her. The story travels on a heritage based journey through the nature of the Maori village and the tribal traditions of a group struggling to maintain their culture in modern times. "Whale Rider" is an incredible film that captivates the audience with the heart-filled will of a girl who just wants to be recognized. The scenery, set in New Zealand, has stunning cinematography. The acting is truly incredible with actress, Keisha Castle-Hughes, playing the part of Pai is Academy Award winning caliber. There is not much to dislike in "Whale Rider." It takes elements of adventure and creates a story that is beautiful, devastating and full of life. Director Niki Caro did an amazing job of capturing perfectly the will behind a dream and the spirit which drives all of human nature. This film is a must see for everyone who knows what it means to want something more than average and the hard work involved in achieving that goal. Grade: A