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Three hosts of the 3 Guys and a Flick movie review podcast with movie-themed background.
🎙 Podcast Episode 108

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Join the Guys as they head into the New Zealand bush for Taika Waititi’s 2016 adventure comedy starring Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House, Rhys Darby, and Oscar Kightley — a funny, heartfelt story about an unwanted kid, a grumpy foster uncle, and a national manhunt that gets increasingly “majestical.”

Release Date March 31, 2016
Runtime 101 minutes
Director Taika Waititi
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3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 108

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

ⓘ Details

Movie TitleHunt for the Wilderpeople
Release DateJanuary 22, 2016 Sundance premiere / March 31, 2016 New Zealand / June 24, 2016 U.S. limited
TaglineNature just got gangster.
Runtime101 minutes
DirectorTaika Waititi
Screenplay Written ByTaika Waititi
Based OnWild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump
Is It a Remake?No. It is a film adaptation of Barry Crump’s novel.
BudgetApproximately $2.5 million / approximately NZ$4.5 million reported
Box OfficeApprox. $5.2 million domestic / approx. $22.1 million worldwide
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👥 Main Cast

Sam NeillHector Faulkner / Hec
Julian DennisonRicky Baker
Rima Te WiataBella Faulkner
Rachel HousePaula Hall
Rhys DarbyPsycho Sam
Oscar KightleyOfficer Andy
Tioreore Ngatai-MelbourneKahu
Stan WalkerRon
Troy KingiTK
Cohen HollowayHugh
Mike MinogueJoe
Taika WaititiMinister
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🏆 Awards

⭐ New Zealand Film and TV Awards Winner — Best Feature Film
⭐ New Zealand Film and TV Awards Winner — Best Director, Taika Waititi
⭐ New Zealand Film and TV Awards Winner — Best Actor, Sam Neill
⭐ New Zealand Film and TV Awards Winner — Best Supporting Actor, Julian Dennison
⭐ New Zealand Film and TV Awards Winner — Best Supporting Actress, Rima Te Wiata
⭐ Empire Magazine named it the number one film of 2016.
⭐ No verified Academy Award nominations found.
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📖 Short Plot Summary

Ricky Baker, a rebellious foster kid, is placed with warm-hearted Bella and her gruff husband Hec on a remote New Zealand farm. After tragedy strikes and child services plans to take Ricky away, he runs into the bush, forcing Hec to follow. A misunderstanding spirals into a national manhunt, and the unlikely pair must survive the wilderness, evade authorities, and figure out what family means when both of them feel unwanted.
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❝ Key Quotes

“No child left behind.” — Paula Hall
“I didn’t choose the skux life. The skux life chose me.” — Ricky Baker
“Majestical.” — Ricky Baker
“Ricky Baker, now you are thirteen years old. You are a teenager, and you’re as good as gold.” — Bella Faulkner
“I’m like the Terminator.” — Paula Hall
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💡 Trivia

Director

  • Hunt for the Wilderpeople was written and directed by Taika Waititi.
  • Waititi adapted the film from Barry Crump’s 1986 novel Wild Pork and Watercress.
  • The 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists the film as Episode 108 with Taika Waititi as director.

Cast / Casting

  • Sam Neill stars as Hec, a gruff bushman who becomes Ricky’s unlikely guardian.
  • Julian Dennison plays Ricky Baker; Waititi had previously worked with Dennison on a commercial.
  • Rachel House plays Paula Hall, the relentless child welfare officer hunting Ricky and Hec.
  • Rhys Darby plays Psycho Sam, a conspiracy-minded bush hermit who briefly shelters the pair.

Soundtrack / Score

  • The score was composed by Moniker, the trio of Lukasz Buda, Samuel Scott, and Conrad Wedde.
  • The soundtrack includes songs such as Nina Simone’s “Sinnerman,” Leonard Cohen’s “The Partisan,” and Alessi Brothers’ “Seabird.”
  • The music helps balance Waititi’s mix of deadpan comedy, wilderness adventure, grief, and found-family warmth.

Location

  • The film was shot in New Zealand.
  • Locations included the Central Plateau and Waitākere Ranges.
  • The New Zealand bush is central to the movie’s identity, turning the landscape into both danger zone and emotional refuge.

Behind-The-Scenes

  • Waititi first began adapting Barry Crump’s novel years before the film was made.
  • The film was shot over about five weeks.
  • The production had a small budget compared with major studio comedies, reported around $2.5 million or NZ$4.5 million depending on source.
  • The film became a major New Zealand box-office success and was widely reported as a record-breaking local hit.

Nostalgia

  • Hunt for the Wilderpeople became one of Taika Waititi’s signature pre-Thor: Ragnarok films.
  • Its mix of oddball humor, grief, adventure, and tenderness helped introduce many international viewers to Waititi’s voice.
  • Ricky’s “haiku” moments and Paula’s over-the-top determination became fan-favorite running gags.

Easter Eggs

  • The film’s chapter titles give the story a storybook adventure structure.
  • The title and wilderness setting connect directly to Barry Crump’s New Zealand bush literature roots.
  • Ricky’s “skux life” slang and pop-culture references contrast hilariously with Hec’s old-school survival skills.

Misc.

  • Hunt for the Wilderpeople premiered at Sundance on January 22, 2016 and opened in New Zealand on March 31, 2016.
  • The movie runs 101 minutes.
  • The film is rated PG-13 in the United States.
  • Your 3 Guys and a Flick ratings page lists Don at 4.25, Ken at 4.50, Jon at 4.00, and the Overall Rating as 4.25.
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🔗 Sources Cited

3 Guys and a Flick — Episode 108: Hunt for the Wilderpeople 3 Guys and a Flick — Ratings IMDb — Hunt for the Wilderpeople IMDb — Full Cast & Crew IMDb — Awards IMDb — Quotes Box Office Mojo — Hunt for the Wilderpeople The Numbers — Hunt for the Wilderpeople Rotten Tomatoes — Hunt for the Wilderpeople Wikipedia — Hunt for the Wilderpeople
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