Look, I'm a fan of this film, truly, I am. It's just very dated. The anachronisms, the language, the sensibilities, the pacing. It might be a road movie, but it's SLOW. There's no sense of urgency and you really don't 'get' that there's actually something they're running from.However, I love how much this film covers the country. The Wellington scenes are good fun.Perhaps I would have liked it more if I was alive when it was released/set but it just doesn't appeal to me. I don't deny that it's a stalwart of Kiwi cinema, but times have changed and this film certainly doesn't endure.

I was born 11 years after this came our and watched it for the first time 25 years after that, a mere fortnight before the remake is released.I can see why this film was an instant classic. It remains true to its era and although it appears a little dated today it will forever be regarded as a pinnacle of Kiwi Cinema.If you've ever lived in New Zealand you'll be able to say "I've been there!" as the characters wind their way down the country from tip to tail. I might be coming to the party 35 years late but even I was able to recognise streets in Auckland, Dunedin and on the West Coast. Reminisce about your own road trips, adventures, excursions and joy rides in a 1978 Mini Cooper.If you're Kiwi, you can't not love it.

I'm saddened to report that the region 4 2 disc DVD release has been cut by about 12 minutes, a series of cuts so severe that it renders some subplots completely meaningless.presumably this has been done by the Director, but i still feel somewhat cheated that a original version isn't available on this "not so special edition"However the region 2 DVD is complete,although the picture quality isn't as good. the fact the region 2 is full frame isn't too bad as the film was shot that way and theatrically matted to 1.85my advice is that if you want to see this Kiwi classic the way you originally remember it get the Region two version

This movie is great fun, and entertaining from start to finish. Whereas some of Geoff Murphy's movies (Quiet Earth, Young Guns 2, Utu) made it to video, this little gem didn't (at least not here in the US) - too bad. Hopefully at some point, someone will recognise it as the classic it is, and release it on video or DVD.