Utu 1983
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The New Zealand Land Wars of the nineteenth century provide the setting for this Geoff Murphy epic that closest approaches the style of a classic western in NZ's cinematic back catalogue. It starts with the slaughter of a Maori village where almost every character seems to enter into their own personal vendetta against their enemies, turning the film into a prolonged ballad of revenge. These savage motivations mean the moral compass is effectively shattered, nobody is completely good or evil, and the stage is set for some incredibly visceral set pieces, a grim view of race relations and a jet black sense of humour. Bruno Lawrence’s gun needs to be seen to be believed.
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