“Muru” (MA) ****

THIS is my second attempt to write about this quite special film after a savage scam left three good paragraphs languishing on my PC while I tried to replace them on the laptop.

While “Muru” is fictional, its repeated discrimination of Maori people has a background in truth packed together with a suspenseful thriller to provoke a strong emotional response that at every twist turns oppression and police raids into factual narrative.

Police sergeant Taffy Tāwharau (Cliff Curtis) is driving the school bus along its accustomed route in NZ’s North Island. He’s got nothing else to do in this quiet rural community. But today is going to be different. 

On this day in 2007, NZ police are about to raid the Tūhoe community believing that activist Tāme Iti is building a terrorist network with the intention of assassinating the prime minister.

Tāme Iti is alive and well. He’s recently been in Australia promoting the film. Have you seen his gentle, tattooed face on TV? Opposing him on the screen is Manu Bennett as police sergeant Kimiora, full of twisted righteous anger and rage. And Kimiora also has Taffy in his sights. 

Writer/director Tearepa Kahi’s action-thriller to some extent softens its real-life events message that not all police officers are “bad” by adding level-headedness, decency and instinctive resistance to extreme or irrational responses. 

At the same time, it doesn’t pull any punches about police as a diabolical political weapon and a potential reflection of the ongoing oppression of indigenous peoples.

After premiering at the Toronto film festival earlier this year, “Muru” has been selected as NZ’s international feature submission for the next Oscars. I reckon it’s in with a good chance. At the same time, I can’t help shivering at the thought of its potential to send a misconceived message across the ditch.

At Dendy, Palace and Hoyts Woden.