8.1
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
Once Were Warriors (1994)
Once Were Warriors (1994)
Overview
A drama about a Maori family living in Auckland, New Zealand. Lee Tamahori tells the story of Beth Heke’s strong will to keep her family together during times of unemployment and abuse from her violent and alcoholic husband.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Christianity: Positive
Viewer Rating
8.1
Overview
A drama about a Maori family living in Auckland, New Zealand. Lee Tamahori tells the story of Beth Heke’s strong will to keep her family together during times of unemployment and abuse from her violent and alcoholic husband.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Primary
The film's central focus on the devastating impact of systemic issues like colonialism and poverty on a marginalized indigenous community, and its portrayal of cultural reclamation as a path to healing and empowerment, aligns with left-leaning critiques of social injustice.
The movie features a predominantly Māori cast, reflecting the cultural focus of its narrative. It explores themes of domestic violence, poverty, and the loss of cultural identity within this community, offering a nuanced critique of societal pressures and specific forms of masculinity without explicitly framing traditional identities as villains.
Secondary
Christianity is depicted as a source of solace and community, offering a moral compass and refuge for characters like Grace amidst profound suffering. The church provides a supportive environment and a sense of belonging.
The film "Once Were Warriors" focuses on the struggles of a Māori family in New Zealand, dealing with themes of domestic violence, poverty, and cultural identity. There are no identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes present within the narrative, leading to a classification of N/A for its portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues.
The film 'Once Were Warriors' does not feature any identifiable transsexual characters or themes. The narrative primarily explores the challenges faced by a Māori family, focusing on domestic violence, poverty, and cultural identity within an urban New Zealand setting. Consequently, there is no portrayal to evaluate regarding transsexual representation.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
The film "Once Were Warriors" is an adaptation of Alan Duff's 1990 novel. All significant characters in the movie retain the same gender as established in the original source material, with no instances of a character's gender being changed.
The film is an adaptation of a novel centered on a Māori family in New Zealand. The characters' races in the film are consistent with their depiction in the source material, which is deeply rooted in Māori culture and identity. No established characters were portrayed as a different race.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
7.9
7.4
Critic Ratings
9.3
7.7
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