Films like this don't seem to garner much favor by IMDb viewers, judging by this one's low score as I write this. I think that has to do with pacing and the fact that this isn't an action film per se, but more of a psychological cat and mouse game between the two protagonists. This was my first look at Ray Winstone and Temuera Morrison, and I thought both acquitted themselves well throughout their challenging ordeal. Arjan van Diemen (Winstone) eventually comes to respect and trust the man who's accused of murder (Morrison), and decides to thwart the posse dead set to capture him.
The one thing you have to overlook though, is how any human being can withstand the brutal punishment both men suffered during their physical bouts against each other, and the rugged terrain they encountered while tumbling down hillsides and getting thrown around in bruising rapids. Stuff like that is never properly addressed, and you have to take it on faith that bodies were built to handle that kind of abuse.
I will say that seeing how Kereama survived was more of a twist than the one with van Diemen mutilating himself to save the Maori. After the fact one might question how he hid the disfigurement from the rest of the posse, but it did make for a story resolution that cemented Arjan's admiration for a man who's honor and life was at stake, and who could have killed him at various times during the chase, but didn't. Well done and nicely filmed.
The one thing you have to overlook though, is how any human being can withstand the brutal punishment both men suffered during their physical bouts against each other, and the rugged terrain they encountered while tumbling down hillsides and getting thrown around in bruising rapids. Stuff like that is never properly addressed, and you have to take it on faith that bodies were built to handle that kind of abuse.
I will say that seeing how Kereama survived was more of a twist than the one with van Diemen mutilating himself to save the Maori. After the fact one might question how he hid the disfigurement from the rest of the posse, but it did make for a story resolution that cemented Arjan's admiration for a man who's honor and life was at stake, and who could have killed him at various times during the chase, but didn't. Well done and nicely filmed.