Hunt for the Wilderpeople Essay Questions

What is the central humor of Ricky Baker's personality?

There is something inherently funny about the character of Ricky Baker, which stems largely from his self-image not matching up with how he appears to the world around him. While he imagines that he is a "gangster," outfitting himself in baggy, urban clothing and pretending to be tough and intimidating, he is actually an awkward, sensitive boy who is not nearly as scary as he imagines himself to be. In fact, he is quite feckless and clumsy when it comes down to it. This is part of his charm and why we are so endeared to him. He might not believe that he needs looking-after, but we can tell that he does.

How does Bella win Ricky's trust?

Ricky has had a hard time connecting with previous foster families, and exhibited antisocial behavior, vandalizing and running away. Bella tries to accept Ricky as he is, letting him "run away" when he so chooses, but always having a hot water bottle waiting for him in his bed. By playing along with Ricky's narratives of abandonment and waywardness, Bella circuitously wins his trust. She accepts him as he is, rather than scolding him for not being better-adjusted, and this makes him feel loved.

What does Ricky learn from Hec? What does Hec learn from Ricky?

Hec is not very loving towards Ricky at first, and does not particularly want to take care of him. However, when they find themselves in the bush together, Hec begins to feel fondly towards Ricky and they embark on a more connective relationship and mutual mentorship. Hec shows Ricky the ways of survivalism and teaches him to be more physically intuitive in the bush. Likewise, Ricky teaches Hec to express his feelings (primarily via haikus) and to connect with his emotions, and also motivates Hec to teach himself to read.

What is the tone of the film?

The film is rather complicated tonally. In some respects, it takes nothing seriously and is a wildly irreverent and satirical romp. For instance, the script often makes light of dark occurrences. No sooner have we learned that Bella has died than we see her funeral, in which a bumbling priest (played by director Waititi) butchers his way through a eulogy. The film also treats the misunderstanding that Hec molested Ricky with a winking lightness. No subject matter, no matter how dark, is immune from being satirized.

At the same time, the film takes the profundity of life and its more emotional events seriously. Perhaps because of the contrastingly ridiculous black humor of some of its lighter moments, the earnest moments in the film stand out as particularly heartfelt. Ricky's attachment to Bella's remains, for instance, or Ricky and Hec's eventual reunion and return to the bush, are both emotionally powerful. The film balances the ridiculous and the sincere with surprising ease.

What is the purpose of the haikus?

In his time in Child Services, Ricky has learned to write haikus as a coping mechanism in his unstable life, a way to articulate his emotions in hard times. He writes simple, often humorously succinct little haikus throughout the film, and teaches Hec to do the same. The haikus symbolize Ricky's ability to put things in perspective, in spite of the hardships he has faced. They also represent his innocence, the vulnerability he is hiding underneath his hard shell.