It’s not very often you see a film that you’re surprised by, but Tracker is definitely one of those films.
Let me state, for the record, that I usually cannot stand historical films. I’m serious – set anything more than a few decades ago, and I will often find it hard to stay interested, if it’s not a film about a topic I’m already keen on. Having been given the New Zealand-based drama Tracker to review, I went on the basis that the scenery would be just as incredible as Lord of the Rings, if nothing else.
I’ll say this much – that wasn’t the only thing that was absolutely fantastic about this cinematic work. I call it that because quite often you’ll find this film looks like art. It’s not just the green landscape, the mountains, the rivers and the sea. It’s the cinematography and the subtle nuances of the acting, especially the acting of Ray Winstone.
By tradition, he’s a gangster, an East End geezer to the core – all gritted teeth and growly vocals. Mug him off and he’ll nut ya. But this time, Winstone is cast as a Boer by the name of Arajan – a farmer of South Africa – displaced, and seeking employment in New Zealand after the loss of his farm to British and Kiwi soldiers.
The theme of displacement is strong in this film, as soon enough we’re introduced to the other lead – Temuera Morrison, playing a Māori man-on-the-run, Kereama. Out of money and in serious need of a job, Arajan takes the opportunity to hunt down the other man, after the Māori has (unbeknownst to Arajan) been framed for the murder of a local soldier. The pair of them are men of the land, and this constantly-reinforced sense of the pain of losing your natural habitat and the challenges of living off the land that make this such an engrossing watch.
Of course, they meet eventually, and without spoiling the plot they’re a great team. Morrison is someone I’d love to see in films outside of New Zealand a lot more often, given that the only other cinematic performance of his I’d witnessed was his role as Jango Fett in Star Wars, his voice and face the template for the countless ranks of Clone Troopers in the prequel trilogy. Here, he’s returned to his Māori roots, and his passionate cultural side shows though in a way that makes it hard not to be moved by his commitment to family, to nature, and to his sense of spirituality.
Of course, there are obstacles – notably a second tracker with a few local members of the Kiwi Army who are out for blood, and it’s this post-colonial discrepancy that really brings out the hero in both Winstone and Morrison, with a touch of the epic and a little humour to just ease the film out of the risky boring-historical-feature area and right into memorable. If I had to tell you what it felt like to watch this film, I’d say picture the relationships between individuals in The Green Mile or The Shawshank Redemption. This film stands well beside them both, and is a worthy watch.
If you’ve never seen anything out of New Zealand bar Rings and, of course, the hilarious Flight of the Conchords, consider this something of an education. The Māori are a fascinating people, and they are characterised through Morrison with such finesse and dedication that the film is awarded a grander narrative as a result. If you, like myself, aren’t into films like 44-Inch Chest or Sexy Beast (as a Londoner, I find them a little silly), it’s likely this will change your opinion of Winstone’s ability to perform outside his comfort role forever. One for the shelf, rather than the drawer.
Win Tracker on DVD at The Film Review.
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