Name: The Legend of Baron To’a
Genre: Action, Comedy
Released: 2020
Duration: T1H45M
Cast: Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Lees, John Tui, Jay Laga’aia, Shavaughn Ruakere

Trailer

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In this Kiwi action-comedy, a Tongan entrepreneur returns to his old neighbourhood and inadvertently causes the theft of his late father’s valued pro wrestling title belt. Failing to retrieve it, his only choice is to embrace his father's legacy. The feature directorial debut of Kiel McNaughton, co-producer of Waru and Vai.

2020Rating: RP13, Violence & offensive language105 minsNew Zealand

ActionComedy

All Reviews (7)

Director:: Kiel McNaughton (feature debut)
Writer:: John Argall
Cast:: Uli LatukefuNathaniel LeesJohn TuiJay Laga'aiaShavaughn RuakereAshlee FidowSateki Finau-BaasDuane Evans Jr.

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The Legend of Baron To’a / Reviews

Flicks, Steve Newall

An all-star Pasifika and Māori cast, a state house cul-de-sac setting and great local soundtrack (Church & AP, SWIDT) combine to lend a distinctive flavour to this Aotearoa entrant in the action-comedy genre. While the poster artwork may look to have liberated the font from Fast & Furious, The Legend of Baron To’a feels more indebted to the likes of Hong Kong action pics in structure and fight sequences, perhaps even some of its characterisations, but fuses its disparate elements together to prove a unique, kick-ass crack-up.

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The Age

A strange but enjoyable hybrid of martial arts movie and folksy comedy from first-time New Zealand director Kiel McNaughton.

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FilmInk

…like a bombastic graphic novel brought roaring to cinematic life, where every punch, beat and quotable piece of dialogue is a certified haymaker.

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Sydney Morning Herald

There are points when The Legend of Baron To’a feels like one big in-joke, designed mainly to entertain the filmmakers, along with viewers who know the setting well enough to get an automatic kick out of seeing extravagant action sequences staged in their own backyard. But even to outsiders the film has the charm of a homemade object, not quite like anything else.

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FilmInk

...like a bombastic graphic novel brought roaring to cinematic life, where every punch, beat and quotable piece of dialogue is a certified haymaker.

Full review

New Zealand Listener

Less hardy viewers may find it too violent and insufficiently funny, and it’s true that for most of the movie Baron To’a delivers more of a well-acted if violent drama than a slapstick comedy in the spirit of Three Wise Cousins or Take Home Pay.

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Stuff

While very much a lighter look at South Auckland life than Once Were Warriors and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, Legend still packs a narrative punch. That it will likely appeal to both younger audiences and those who grew up watching pro-wrestling on TV in the 1970s and '80s just makes it even more of a triumph.

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The Legend of Baron To’a / Trailers

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Trailer 2

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