Taika Waititi's Hidden Gem: Hunt For The Wilderpeople As His Best Movie

One of the most notable directors in Hollywood today is Taika Waititi. He rose to prominence among most moviegoers thanks to his work on Thor: Ragnarok, yet his filmography is a varied one with some really impressive projects. In fact, one of the funniest TV shows in recent memory started with him.

When it comes to picking out his best movie, there are several great options. Thor: Ragnarok is one of them, as is his Oscar-winning Jojo Rabbit. However, his greatest work is something of a hidden gem from a decade ago when Hunt for the Wilderpeople arrived in 2016.

Hunt For The Wilderpeople Is Peak Taika Waititi

Hunt for the Wilderpeople might not be known by all that many people, yet anyone who likes any past project from Taika Waititi is sure to appreciate it. The movie is filled with his trademark brand of humor and is basically the filmmaker at his best.

Based on the novel Wild Pork and Watercress, Hunt for the Wilderpeople has an interesting premise. It centers on Ricky Baker, a child in the foster system who comes into the care of Bella and Hector. After growing close to Ricky, Bella dies of a stroke and when child services come for Ricky, he and Hector go on the run.

What follows is a journey that's both heartwarming and hilarious. Reviews for Hunt for the Wilderpeople are overwhelmingly positive, with the film holding an astounding 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That's the most for any Taika Waititi movie, including his Academy Award-winning picture.

Actors In Hunt For The Wilderpeople Often Collaborate With Taika

Anyone who has seen several Taika Waititi movies will notice that some actors pop up multiple times. That's the case with Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which includes a handful of actors with whom he typically collaborates. Sam Neill plays Hector, and he went on to have cameos in Taika's Thor films.

Rhys Darby has a role as Psycho Sam and he previously starred in Waititi's What We Do in the Shadows before also appearing in Next Goal Wins. However, the biggest collaborator in this film is Rachel House.

House has worked in nearly every Waititi movie, starting with 2007's Eagle vs. Shark. She also worked as an acting coach on the set of Boy (which she stars in) and Jojo Rabbit, though her role in that film was in a deleted scene. She even has a funny role in Thor: Ragnarok as Topaz, who works alongside the Grandmaster.

Waititi himself also appears in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. It's a staple of his films as he tends to have small roles in all of them. His biggest parts are as Korg in the MCU, Viago in What We Do in the Shadows, and Adolf Hitler in Jojo Rabbit. In this movie, he has a minor role as the Minister.

Other Taiki Waititi Movies In Contention For His Best

With a filmography as loaded as Taika Waititi's, it's tough to really call any movie his best. Hunt for the Wilderpeople, with its highest Rotten Tomatoes score, is certainly in the conversation and is our pick for the best. However, there are other great options.

What We Do in the Shadows is hilarious and has become iconic, even spanning a tremendous TV show. Jojo Rabbit saw Waititi win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Boy is also an early film of his that received widespread acclaim, while Thor: Rangarok is one of the best MCU releases.

As great as those are, there's just something about Hunt for the Wilderpeople that puts it over the top. The combination of a loving tale of found family, combined with Waititi's trademark humor, makes for a perfect blend of an enjoyable comedy.

Release Date March 31, 2016

Runtime 101minutes