The Dead Lands 9/10
This adventure movie is about a Maori tribe in pre-colonial New Zealand that was slaughtered by a treacherous rival tribe. The sole surviving male is the chieftain's son that seeks to enlist the aid of a near mythical warrior to help avenge their deaths and bring honor to himself and his ancestors. I really liked this movie, it was filmed in the Maori language and it really gave it an authentic feel, and the cinematography was well done. The story itself is simple, but felt fresh since I never saw another movie about the Maori tribes. The Maori are the epitome of a warrior culture, they didn't metalwork, so their weapons are made of wood, stone, bone etc. The fight scenes are very well done, brutal at times, you gotta whack a guy a few times using those kind of weapons. When they do their war dances, Hakas, their facial expressions and gesturing, these warriors are truly intimidating. There's some mysticism and glimpses of their savage way of life throughout the movie as well. I'd like to see other movies based on the Maori.