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Hunt for the Wilderpeople poster

Is Hunt for the Wilderpeople OK for Kids?

AdventureComedyDrama
10+
PG-13⭐ 7.8 / 102016 · 1h 41m
Taika Waititi

Where to Watch

United States

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Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay
🗡️Violence
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Cartoon / Comedic
5
Action & Peril
1
Injuries & Death Shown
0
Graphic & Disturbing
  • Hec and Ricky shoot at hunters and take their guns and supplies during an early survival sequence
  • Ricky accidentally shoots Hec during a tense confrontation with police, which becomes the story's tragic climax
  • A high-speed ute chase through the bush features police, military helicopters, and armed forces in pursuit
  • A physical altercation breaks out during a confrontation with park rangers, and Hec punches a ranger/officer multiple times in cartoonish scuffles
  • Hec fractures his ankle after stepping in prickles, shown as a painful but non-graphic injury
  • Sam holds government officials at gunpoint to buy time for Ricky and Hec, though no one is harmed
  • Overall tone is adventurous and comedic rather than brutal, with action-driven peril but no graphic gore or on-screen deaths of main characters
💬Language
Extreme▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Mild Words
(damn, hell)
5
Moderate
(ass, b**ch)
43
Strong
(sh*t)
9
Extreme
(f**k)
  • Characters frequently say 'b**tard' (8 times), 'bloody' (12 times), 'hell' (7 times), 'a**/arsehole' (4 times), 'd**k/dickhead' (4 times), and 'pervert' (5 times)
  • 'Bulls**t/bullshitting' is used 3 times and milder words like 'da**/dammit' (3 times) and 'p**s/p**sed' (2 times) also appear
  • 'S**t' is used 9 times, the strongest language in the film
  • No f-words or c-words are used at any point in the script
👻Scary Scenes
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
3
Mildly Tense
2
Startling Moments
1
Genuinely Scary
0
Deeply Disturbing
  • The initial threat of welfare removal creates a tense atmosphere that forces Ricky and Hec into hiding
  • A ranger suddenly collapses with breathing difficulties and appears to be dying, a startling moment resolved when Ricky and Hec help him
  • An extended manhunt with police, rangers, and military closing in builds sustained tension across the middle of the film
  • The high-speed ute chase with military helicopters and armed forces is the film's most intense sequence
  • Paula Hall's relentless pursuit using Stingray surveillance technology adds a tense, almost paranoid undertone
  • The dog Zag is fatally wounded by Hec during a confrontation, a startling and sad moment for younger viewers
  • All tense sequences resolve without lasting harm to the main characters and end on a hopeful note
💕Romance
Very Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
1
Crushes & Holding Hands
0
Kissing & Dating
0
Suggestive
0
Sexual Content
  • A young girl at a lodge sings a romantic song to Ricky and asks for selfies, played for light comedic effect
  • No kissing, dating, or physical romantic content occurs
  • Nothing sexual is implied or shown anywhere in the film
🍺Substances
Mild▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
3
Mentioned in Passing
1
Shown Casually
0
Featured Prominently
0
Glorified or Abused
  • Hec describes himself as having once been a 'scruffy white drifter who smelled like methylated spirits,' a passing verbal reference
  • Paula mentions Hec was previously in prison for manslaughter during a drunken fight, referenced but not shown
  • Sam offers Ricky a joint, which Ricky declines, shown casually without glorification
  • Ricky references a joking plan to 'become a drug dealer,' presented as a naive childhood ambition rather than something acted on
⚡Stimulation
Moderate▼
Moments in the script, mildest → most intense
0
Gently Engaging
2
Exciting
2
Intense
0
Overwhelming
  • The initial escape into the bush includes an exciting survival skills montage with upbeat pacing
  • Hunting and shooting sequences teaching survival skills are energetic and adventure-driven
  • The multi-month manhunt across the wilderness escalates steadily, building sustained intensity
  • The final ute chase sequence with police, military, and aerial helicopter pursuit is the most sensory-intense scene in the film
  • Sensory-sensitive children may find the extended chase and manhunt sequences overwhelming due to rapid pacing and loud pursuit elements
Hunt for the Wilderpeople — Heads Up for Parents

Despite its comedic tone, parents should be aware the film contains an emotionally intense scene where Ricky accidentally shoots Hec during a police confrontation, and the family dog Zag is fatally wounded by Hec — both are more serious than the film's lighthearted marketing suggests.

About Hunt for the Wilderpeople

This is a New Zealand comedy-drama about Ricky, a troubled foster kid, who bonds with his gruff foster uncle Hec after the sudden death of his foster mother Bella. When a misunderstanding leads authorities to hunt them down, the pair flee into the rugged bush and become the subject of a nationwide manhunt, leading to both comedic and heartfelt moments as they learn to become a family.

👨‍👧
Best watched together
Younger children (under 10) may need a parent present to process the dog's death, the ranger's collapse, and the accidental shooting of Hec, while the frequent strong language ('bastard,' 'bloody,' 'shit') is worth discussing with kids under 12.

Family Takeaways from Hunt for the Wilderpeople

What it gets right

  • ✓The film portrays a believable emotional arc of a troubled foster child finding belonging, seen in Ricky's 13th birthday celebration showing genuine acceptance
  • ✓It shows that people can choose compassion even when it's risky, as when Ricky and Hec stop fleeing to help the critically ill ranger

Hunt for the Wilderpeople Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Values & Themes
●Traditional family values

The film centers on found family and belonging, shown through Bella and Hec welcoming Ricky and their eventual reconciliation as a permanent family unit.

Cast:Sam NeillJulian DennisonRima Te WiataRachel HouseTioreore Ngatai-Melbourne

Is Hunt for the Wilderpeople Appropriate for Your Child's Age?

✗Age 5: Not recommended for 5-year-olds
✗Age 8: Not recommended for 8-year-olds
✓Age 10: Generally appropriate for 10-year-olds
✓Age 12: Generally appropriate for 12-year-olds
✓Age 13: Generally appropriate for 13-year-olds
✓Age 15: Generally appropriate for 15-year-olds
✓Age 17: Generally appropriate for 17-year-olds

Individual children may vary — use your judgment.

Parents also ask about Hunt for the Wilderpeople

  • Is Hunt for the Wilderpeople appropriate for a 10-year-old?
  • Does Hunt for the Wilderpeople have violence?
  • Is Hunt for the Wilderpeople OK for kids?
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