The Dead Lands offers myriad of tribal warrior codes, brutal combat and near mythical depiction of ancient culture. Though it may set in archaic time, the visual is crisp and portraying the natural landscape with elegance. Clash of flesh and weapon are aplenty, this is not for the viewing of fainthearted as the scenes are surprisingly full of gore and blood.Its premise is quiet simple. A boy's clan is attacked by the opposing rival clan led by the ambitious son of their chief. With false pretext and sudden ambush, the clan suffers greatly. The boy then must walk the path of vengeance which leads him to a scared ground and a warrior with dubious past. Acting-wise the film is brash, filled with both honor code and battle cries.Casting looks good, the actors physically look intimidating. The old warrior has menacing air as one who has been shouldering heavy burden his entire life. This is an anti-hero story as well as how honor can mean so differently for each person. The characters all have their own salvation to search, but they do so with significantly different paths. Relationship between the boy and the warrior is interesting since both of them barely agree on anything yet still strive for a common goal.Fighting is especially well-choreographed. In a few scenes there are mutilations which will make audience cringe, these are honestly rather unexpected. It's nice to see that the film includes a lot of Maori myth and style with motions as well. There's inclusion of mythology for unworldly presence, it's presented dynamically as how the ancient people would see it.Unfortunately, the film possesses a couple of flaws. It's very combatant oriented, so some of the philosophical themes might not translate well for broader audience. The film has stumbled in halfway point as the visual gets uncomfortably dark and the pace halts.Still, even with several hindrances, The Dead Lands is a great and brazen cultural visit.

In brief, this is an entertaining movie with lots of impressive fighting, a bit of supernatural colour, authentic period setting in pre-European New Zealand, and believable characters. The plot is simple: a chiefs son must avenge the dishonourable slaying of his father and his tribe, and with the support of his deceased grandmother (an effectively spooky Rena Owen) he seeks the help of a reclusive warrior with a dark past. The film deserves extra credit for the authentic portrayal of Maori fighting tradition and weapons, and the accuracy of the central role of honour, revenge, and supernatural beliefs in the warrior culture. I appreciated the decision to have Maori dialogue, I find the sound of the language itself expresses the warrior spirit.The theme of honour and revenge was also central to the plot of Utu, meaning "blood for blood" a 1984 film directed by Geoff Murphy and set during the early European colonial era in NZ. Worth watching if you enjoyed the Dead Lands and want to see more of the warrior culture of the Maori, although a much more philosophical and slow paced film than this one.Perhaps to add a little to the appreciation of both of these films, the depiction of Maori as extremely tough and fearless warriors is in no way exaggerated. These people lived very hard lives in a land with very few resources for humans. With no native animals to speak of, and few edible plants, Maori survived on little more than fish, a few birds, and a few berries and roots. The average life expectancy was early 30's. Despite this, they were tall, powerfully built people. There was fierce competition between tribes for resources, and they constantly fought each other over any pretext, usually ascribed to matters of honour and leading to endless blood feuds, but in at least some cases the real motive was hunger. Cannibalism was common, especially after the ostrich-like moa was hunted to extinction and the climate became colder.Despite these desperate circumstances, Maori retained a rich mythological heritage and believed their land was populated by spirits, good and evil, and it was imperative that their ancestors be honoured and remembered, just as depicted in the film. To this day some Maori can trace their lineage, literally naming their ancestors, back 1000 years to the first tough, brave warriors that crossed the vast pacific to find and colonise NZ.The only negative for me was that the film dragged a little in the middle.

"Stars, hide your fires" exhorts Macbeth "let not light see my black and deep desires." Similarly, a vicious and powerful band of thugs destroys a village, murders its people, and counts on escaping notice and justice for their actions. These formidable Maori warriors from long ago slip into the forest with confidence that their heinous deeds will go unpunished. They believe deeply that such violence feeds their glory. They did not concern themselves that Hongi, a young warrior from the village they destroyed and burned, slipped away with them. They did not much hesitate to enter the forbidden dead lands where a legendary fighter is rumored to rule and reside. Into this fearsome land of bones they go, pursued by the solitary Hongi and soon a new menace that none of them imagined.

Finally we have the Maori action movie we have all been begging for! If you have ever seen the Haka performed by the All Blacks, and wondered what these guys would do to their enemies without the limitations of Rugby rules, then all your questions will be answered. The plot is a Kung Fu style revenge tale. A young chief's son vows revenge for some tribal treachery, and hooks up with a mystical, wiser warrior, to take out a small army of baddies. Action movie aficionados will be pleased to see some authentic Maori weapons and fighting choreography, instead of the typical blade weapons and the Asian martial arts we see in countless movies these days. The acting is fascinating because you are basically watching actors represent their own culture from an earlier era, unlike let's say, having a Scottish man portray an ancient Greek warrior in a film. The authentic locations add to the overall realistic effect as well. I'm sure there are artistic liberties taken with the historical accuracy, but nothing as crazy as the 300 franchise. The directing is a bit frantic, with quick cuts and lots of camera movements during fight scenes, but that seems to be the visual style for action movies these days. Overall, this film is a fascinating look at a culture that is completely exotic to the rest of the world because of vast geographical distance and centuries of colonial influence.