Once Were Warriors

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Once Were Warriors

R

1994

1h 42m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

95%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

An unemployed Maori living in the Auckland slums, Jake Heke (Temuera Morrison) has a terrible temper that he takes out on family and strangers alike. His wife, Beth (Rena Owen), takes regular beatings after he's been at the pub, and his kids do what they can to sidestep trouble. Nig (Julian Arahanga), the eldest, is joining a street gang; Boogie (Taungaroa Emile) has been placed in a foster home; and Grace increasingly retreats to the pages of her journal.

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Critics Consensus

Once Were Warriors isn't an easy watch, but the raw power of its story -- and the performances of an excellent cast -- reward viewers who rise to the challenge.

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Jami Bernard

New York Daily News

02/21/2017

3.5/4

Once Were Warriors has more to say than the traditional TV-movie about spousal abuse. But some viewers will have to pay a price: This is a movie that requires strength and fortitude to sit through.

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John Hartl

Seattle Times

02/21/2017

3.5/4

Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, who plays Grace, had never acted before, and neither have a couple of the other key players. But under the careful direction of television veteran Lee Tamahori, they all do credible and forceful work.

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

02/21/2017

A gritty, powerful first feature by Lee Tamahori.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

02/26/2022

3.5/4

Lee Tamahori's feature film debut offers a cross-section of abuses, making it a searing portrait of self-destructive behaviors, toxic codependency, and gut-wrenching tragedy.

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Leigh Paatsch

Herald Sun (Australia)

04/23/2020

5/5

One of the finest films ever made on New Zealand soil has lost none of its raw emotional power and unbearable psychological intensity.

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Roger Hurlburt

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

02/21/2017

Once Were Warriors is a savage and dismaying tale of a venerable culture in decay and a film difficult to recommend.

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Oliver C

@OliverClose Dec 5

It's a fine, fierce and nearly unforgettable movie.

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Chris R

Dec 1

Tamahori's direction is consistently sharp and the film showcases two immensely powerful performances by Morrison and Owen.

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Piya S

Nov 21

One of the most powerful, ultra-realistic dramas about domestic violence--As the battered wife, Rena Welson should have received a Best Actress nomination!

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Freja A

@FrejaGaan Nov 9

A gritty human drama evoking the residual vibrancy of a threatened culture.

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Bello R

@BelloM Nov 8

One of the most powerful, ultra-realistic dramas about domestic violence--As the battered wife, Rena Welson should have received a Best Actress nomination.

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Whistlerworld S

Nov 8

Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, who plays Grace, had never acted before, and neither have a couple of the other key players. But under the careful direction of television veteran Lee Tamahori, they all do credible and forceful work.

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Lee Tamahori

Director

Rena Owen

Beth Heke

Temuera Morrison

Jake Heke

Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell

Grace Heke

Julian Arahanga

Nig Heke

Taungaroa Emile

Boogie Heke

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39%

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Synopsis

An unemployed Maori living in the Auckland slums, Jake Heke (Temuera Morrison) has a terrible temper that he takes out on family and strangers alike. His wife, Beth (Rena Owen), takes regular beatings after he's been at the pub, and his kids do what they can to sidestep trouble. Nig (Julian Arahanga), the eldest, is joining a street gang; Boogie (Taungaroa Emile) has been placed in a foster home; and Grace increasingly retreats to the pages of her journal.

Director: Lee Tamahori
Producer: Robin Scholes
Screenwriter: Riwia Brown, Alan Duff
Distributor: Fine Line Features, Criterion Collection
Production Co: Fine Line Features, Finestkind
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: Australian English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 24, 1994, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.3M
Runtime: 1h 42m
Sound Mix: Stereo

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