by Charles Kirkland Jr.
Three fast young friends embark on a long and perilous journey of a lifetime to the top of The Mountain.
Determined to beat the cancer she is fighting, Sam escapes from the juvenile hospital ward where she is staying to climb Taranaki Maunga, a mountain that, as a Māori, she believes can heal her.
Meanwhile, Bronco, a proudly confident Māori boy feeling neglected by his single father, meets Mallory, a you
boy struggling with loneliness following the recent death of his mother. The two boys soon cross paths with Sam, form a quick bond, and join in on her secret mission to reach Taranaki. When they finally reach the mountain, truths are exposed, and the young friends learn unforgettable lessons.
Starring Elizabeth Atkinson, Terence Daniel, and Reuben Francis, The Mountain is co-written and directed by Rachel House in her feature film debut. The film is also executively produced by Taika Waititi.
The Mountain is a highly entertaining family film that doesn’t shy away from life’s sometimes difficult realities.
Filled with charm, humor, and deep emotion, House’s story is smartly composed and remarkably intelligent.
House entrusts her young protagonists to convey the ways children can rise above any challenges they face and to demonstrate the lasting power of acceptance, cultural legacy, and friendship.
Each of these young actors, Atkinson, Daniel, and Francis, rises to the challenge House presents in her intelligent
and complex script. They are each outrageously entertaining and completely believable in their performances
alone but together they work seamlessly to bring a touching and unexpected story to life.
Often in films with children as the protagonists, the tendency is to dumb down the adults in the movie.
Thankfully, House does not fall into this tempting trap. The adults in the film are real and smart. They are involved with their children and not neglectful. The children in the film are precocious and determined and get into their adventure through no fault of the parents. House allows the children to be children and the adults to be real adults, a formula that is usually absent from coming-of-age children’s fare.
Despite the seemingly mature themes of the movie, there are no content advisories for The Mountain, making it a perfectly rewarding conversation piece for all families, examining the true meaning of friendship and the power of cultural legacy.
Grade: B