“This film is not a recreation of the police raids against the people of Tūhoe. It is a response.”
These words appear early on screen in Tearepa Kahi’s Muru – a statement of intent for a film that takes a bold, creative approach to realising history on screen. Drawing a line from the 1916 raid to arrest the prophet Rua Kēnana to the 2007 Urewera ‘anti-terror’ raid, the film distils 100 years of injustice against Ngāi Tūhoe into an experience that entertains while honouring its subject.
The film follows Police Sergeant ‘Taffy’ Tāwharau (Cliff Curtis), at first going about his duties in the community of Rūātoki.
These early scenes draw a detailed portrait of Taffy, his community, and how he sees his job fitting into that community. The stakes escalate dramatically as the Crown launches an armed raid on Rūātoki, terrorising the community and dividing Taffy’s loyalties.
It’s intense and often harrowing, ratcheting up the tension while touching on painful events and hope for the future to form an unequivocal and defiant response to the Crown’s actions. Technical aspects are accomplished across the board. So is the acting, including from Curtis and Tāme Iti as himself.
The film does not stick to strict historical reenactment, evoking parts of the 1916 and 2007 raids, other events in Tūhoe’s history, and a healthy dose of fictionalisation. This creative decision came at the request of Tūhoe the filmmakers consulted with, and it allows Muru to speak to wider truths about the effects of oppression on a community over generations.
It also allows Muru to explore different genres, as it shifts between intimate drama, tense thriller, and full-blown action movie. The overall effect overrides some awkward shifts in tone. Genre can be a powerful and creative way of engaging audiences and expressing ideas, and Muru leans into that in ways filmmakers around the world could learn from.
Muru offers an impassioned, riveting, and unique addition to Aotearoa’s film legacy. You can watch it on ThreeNow. Bonus feature: For a factual account of the 2007 raid, the excellent documentary Operation 8 is available for free on YouTube and the underrated streaming service Beamafilm, which you can access through your local library.
Muru was reviewed by Sam Williams, a PSA Communications and Campaigns Advisor and film enjoyer.
