By Erin Free
Worth: $18.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Terence Daniel, Byron Coll, Troy Kingi
Intro:
...an utter delight...
The sure, steady but always unconventional hand of New Zealand-born producer Taika Waititi can be felt quietly steering The Mountain, the big screen directorial debut of his frequent acting collaborator and fellow Kiwi, Rachel House. The seemingly bottomless well of perfectly pitched pathos that Waititi is constantly capable of drawing from (in everything from his mesmerising Jo Jo Rabbit right through even to his unfairly maligned Thor: Love & Thunder) is also obviously accessible to House too, because The Mountain blends humour and darkness in canny ways that even a more experienced director would have difficulty with. And though producer Waititi is clearly a mentor to House, this instantly promising filmmaker certainly has a sensibility all of her own.
The Mountain is the story of young teen Sam (Elizabeth Atkinson), who has been stricken with cancer and desperately wants to hike to the top of Mount Taranaki, which has become something of a touchstone and spiritual guide for the feisty, self-possessed young girl. Sam busts out of hospital, and is eventually joined in her quest by two other youngsters: sweet, sheltered Mallory (Reuben Francis) and proud Maori Bronco (Terence Daniel), who is deeply connected to his indigenous heritage and community. As the three disparate early-teens trek upwards through the mist and fog to the top of Mount Taranaki, their parents (Byron Coll, Troy Kingi, Fern Sutherland) make chase and try and catch up to the kids.
Anchored by the truly superb performances of Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis and Terence Daniel (all of whom show an incredible command of the often-difficult material and navigate its tough emotional and tonal territory with aplomb… all three deserve instant stardom!), The Mountain is a real joy of a film. The script by Tom Furniss and House (who expertly layered in much of the highly engaging cultural material, which gives the film a greater sense of depth and place) is wonderfully sharp and perceptive, while the characters are all profoundly loveable while remaining true and authentic. There’s an ample dosage of pithy humour, while the fast pace and bright, effervescent and winningly funky score by Troy Kingi and Arli Liberman perfectly offsets the film’s darker moments. A finely calibrated collision of warmth and sadness, The Mountain is not just an utter delight, but also a family film of great depth, meaning and cultural significance from a filmmaker to watch.
