Rediscovering: Eagle vs Shark (2007)
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- Опубліковано 25 лют 2021
- Our fourth and final romantic movie of the month takes us to New Zealand and the quirky world of Taika Waititi's debut feature. Loren Taylor and Jemaine Clement star as a couple of social outcasts who find a connection but their relationship is soon on the rocks, hampered by a revenge mission against a bully.
Definitely one where you need to be tuned into the very specific style of comedy, otherwise it might fall a bit flat, as Jon found out.
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Thanks for not spoiling Jared’s showdown with his school bully!
I love the way the man in the red hoodie summarizes this film. I absolutely love this movie.
I Loved this..it was so interesting 🤔. I actually hate Napoleon Dynamite..mainly because I know someone like him..and he irritates me. I Absolutely LOVE Eagle vs Shark and watch it from time to time. I used to hang out in record shops..and was never a Gamer..so your conversation on that angle was interesting. I have always hung out with Musicians and Music Lovers..although I'm an ICU Nurse. I don't play any instruments ...but My Husband does and he's a Gamer. My Brother could play any instrument but I was more fascinated with music History. My Brother was also a Lawyer. Sadly He committed suicide and was my bestfriend. I think I could relate to how suicide can make a family dysfunctional. It seemed like there was a lot of pressure on Jarrod's Brother Gordon and my Brother probably felt like that.. I'm just telling you all this to give you my perspective. You didn't mention that Lily and her Brother lost their Parents. I felt like that was why they were close and she was so shy. Both her and Jarrod were sad.. They had grief in common.. Towards the end of the film she kind of gets over her shyness and starts telling Jarrod she' cares for him but she wasn't going to stay and be mistreated. . He was not nice to her. She see's through everyone's Crap..and I remember her telling some of them she liked them anyway but she wasn't going to hang around for BS and abuse. So to me..she finds her strength. At the same time Jarrod has his fight and still loses. The Bully is in a Wheelchair. It's humiliating. I feel like he gets it out of his system. So the end is kind of like they both grew and found out they really cared for each other. If you read this I'd be curious to know if I made you see it a little differently. I also remember Jarrod's Mother ran off as a Lesbian..so that added more grief and dysfunction. That part seemed a little awkward to me in the context of the movie..but maybe added to why Jarrod's Dad was struggling. I Love the part where he gets out of the Wheelchair and stomps off..after she pushed him around. To me it exposed his BS. I think Lily was able to call them out and find Love and family which she needed. The part where she throws the rock and kills a bird..just kind of added to her sorrow and feeling like her life kept going wrong. That may have been where she started to feel like she had had enough and started to stand up for herself.
Thank you so much for your comment and perspective of the film and why you like it so much. It was me that did not enjoy this film as much and it's so great to hear from fans about why they love a particular movie we are talking about. There are of course many many films that I have a connection to in similar ways as you do to this one but for me, this was not one of those. I just personally did not connect with these characters.
Simon mentioned to me during our discussion that Taika Waititi is a big fan of the cinema of Mike Leigh which actually made a lot of sense to me because I could absolutely feel the essence of his films within this one and I am a huge fan of Mike Leigh films, so perhaps I should at some point give this another go.
Anyway, thanks again for the great comment and a happy new year to you ~ J.
I loved Eagle vs. Shark when it came out and still do. Maybe you have to be weird/awkward/out-of-step-with-the-world yourself to appreciate it :D Surprised you guys didn't mention "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" which is amazing.
Hey guys I love your film reviews. You two are definitely enlightening film critics. I saw you review Brazil and thought it was brilliant. I would ask you to review Twelve Monkeys next time as it is also a Terry Gilliam piece that I love and it stars two of my favourite actors Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt.
Thank you so much for the comment! Twelve Monkeys is such a great film and it may well be one we’ll consider doing soon, watch this space, as they say 😎 did you catch our reviews of The Fisher King and Jabberwocky, also by Gilliam? He is one of my favourite film directors ~ J.
I had a feeling it was going to be Eagle Vs Shark 😄
The first Taika Waititi film I saw was Hunt For The Wilderpeople. And I came away from it feeling incredibly jolly and emboldened as it was really very funny and genuinely moving. It had some moments of poignancy that penetrated and moved and jokes of all varieties, absurd, disgusting, touching and truthful. So when I came to see Eagle Vs Shark I did come away feeling a bit disappointed and, I dunno, perplexed as to - why did I feel it left me with a bit of a sour taste. And, I think J, you nailed one aspect there in your appraisal in that many of the characters felt like they were being a little ridiculed a bit callously in the eye and via the pen of Waititi. There was something a shade too unsympathetic and harsh about how they were created and portrayed. And the way Jarrod treated Lily! There was a point where I was just finding it enraging and depressing, and not in way that complimented the tone. It was getting very close to making Jarrod irredeemable in his behaviour.
Still, I did find some charm in it, all in all. I did enjoy the animation, I felt it worked. In fact I could have done with more of that (it did immediately make me think of Wes Anderson though 😄). And the finale face off with the 'legendary' bully I found particularly funny, especially the obvious dead pan delivery of it (when Jarrod is interrogating him about when did it happen? 'about a year ago'. How?! Bully responds - 'accident'. Jarrod demands 'what kind?!' And then immediately softens his tone to something resembling concern and answers his own question with 'car accident?'. Haha it was small moments like that that comically undermined the bravado and cruelness that saved it for me. Jermaine Clement is very good at those instant tonal shifts I think.
It was a weird mix I found, didn't quite gel but I still found parts pretty funny. And Loren Horsley as Lily, with the patience and understanding of an angel, was the true saving grace of it. Hunt For The Wilderpeople though... Much, much better! (mind you, it was his first full feature film wasn't it. Art and the artist go through many changes and refinements from the early days on, don't they).
Yes, I was wondering if I’d been a bit too harsh since it was his debut film, everyone has to start somewhere and the majority of artists will ‘copy’ before they find their own style. Like I said I didn’t completely dislike it and I’m fact watching it back while editing our video, there were parts that made me smile that hadn’t before but yes, I was put off by the depictions of the characters for the most part and I could never really get on board with Jarrod. I loved Lily’s character though. I shall have to give Wilderpeople a go. Did you see JoJo Rabbit? ~ J.
@@cineXplorers Yeah, I think all the key raw materials for possible things to come are evident Eagle Vs Shark. Taika Waititi doesn't shy away from the uglier or more troubled side of people does he. That people can be a mixture of reprehensible and disappointing as well as heroic, compassionate and inspiring seems to be something he's fascinated by. But I think his measures and balances of portraying real drama combined with eccentric quirky humour were still to be found at this point. I mentioned with the comparison to Hunt For The Wilderpeople, that later film was really quite satisfying I thought. The contrast between those 2 films I felt was relatively stark mainly because of Jarrod being too much of an unpleasant person in E Vs S. Though still very funny at times, Jermaine Clement made Jarrod very credible.
I have to say though, there's been so many times in recent years where I've gone back to a film I either only marginally cared for or thought was crap and have completely changed my tune about it. The experience is quite different mainly because many things in life are different. And mainly for the better too 😊 So yeah, second, third viewings and on do reap rewards and Eagle Vs Shark could be one of those films. But, yes, quite a few of the downsides you mentioned I recall feeling similarly about it too.
I've yet to see JoJo Rabbit. From reviews I've read or watched it seems pretty divisive doesn't it. Too dark a subject matter for comedy think some. Robbie Collin I think made a good case for why he disliked it whilst Edith Bowman loved it. That made for quite an interesting watch in itself, that particular 'KermodeandMayo' (sans Kermode or Mayo haha) review, some tension going on there. Still, have to see it for myself. I've seen a few scenes from Boy here and there and they were really good.
My choice film of the week was a 1972 film, Fat City by John Huston. A tale of down and out people that's very authentic, not patronising and really still feels pretty strong today. Some fundamentals of life as depicted in film are immutable.
Another hugely interesting Rediscovering guys, many thanks.
(So, after alternative rom com's, what's next? Let me guess - violent gut busting bloodbath films about apocalyptic yakuza demons with a crazed, obscene lust for scantily clad vixen biker chicks?! All taking place in an abattoir?! 😄 Don't worry, I'm not quite sure what it is I'm satirising there either haha. Maybe a combination of Russ Meyer and Takashi Miike. I look forward to the next episode no matter what the choice is, pretty much 😉👍).
Eagle vs shark is a movie about narcissistic emotional abuse.
There was another unknown NZ cult classic “Once Were Warriors”. Have a look at that
It’s a great film, hardly that unknown though. What did you think of this one? ~ J.
@@cineXplorers not that much, this one is pretty boring
I get the overt quirkiness isn't for everyone but .... you didn't like Jojo Rabbit?
No, I didn't like it. Maybe the overt quirkiness of it wasn't for me. I came away from it feeling somewhat confused, I didn't find it's mix of drama and comedy worked for me. Sometimes it was trying to be quite serious and would then throw in a joke which I didn't feel worked for me. I also found the constant appearance of Taika Waititi and his style of comedy kept taking me out of the film. As Simon and I have found on many cinema occasions, I seem to be quite particular about what makes me laugh. ~ J.
@@cineXplorers That's fair enough. I'm just glad it wasn't because you're a big Nazi fan!
@@drslothlehoff806 No, you'll be happy to hear, I ain't a fan of the Nazi's at all ~ J.