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Muru is a 2022 New Zealand action-drama film about the 2007 New Zealand police raids of the Ngāi Tūhoe community of Rūātoki. Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi, the film stars Cliff Curtis, Jay Ryan and Manu Bennett. The film was released as the opening night film of the New Zealand International Film Festival on 28 July 2022.

Muru
Directed by	Tearepa Kahi
Written by	Tearepa Kahi Jason Nathan
Produced by	Tame Iti Selina Joe Reikura Kahi
Starring	Cliff Curtis Jay Ryan Manu Bennett
Cinematography	Chris Mauger Fred Renata
Edited by	John Gilbert
Music by	Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper
Production companies	Jawbone Pictures October 15 Wheke Group
Distributed by	Rialto Distribution Arclight Films
Release dates	28 July 2022 (2022-07-28) (New Zealand International Film Festival) 1 September 2022 (2022-09-01) (New Zealand)
Country	New Zealand
Languages	Māori, English

Plot

Community Sergeant 'Taffy' Tawharau has recently returned home to the community of Rūātoki to live with his elderly father. In addition to his policing duties alongside fellow police officer Blake, Taffy drives the local school bus. The Ngāi Tūhoe activist Tame Iti, who is a well known local community figure, runs a series of boot camps called Camp Rama (fire light) in the forests of Te Urewera valley. While these boot camps focus on survival skills and preserving Tūhoe identity, they attract the attention of the New Zealand Police's elite Special Tactics Group (STG) who believe that they are terrorists plotting to kill the Prime Minister.

After a troubled youth named Rusty fires a loaded rifle during an argument at a Rama campsite meeting, the STG step up their surveillance activities around Rūātoki, which unnerves Taffy and Blake. Taffy later finds Rusty vandalising a local bakery. Instead of arresting him, Taff takes Rusty to a Rama meeting. During the meeting, Taffy finds an STG operative spying on the camp and tracks him down to a van. The STG squad's Captain Gallagher tells Taffy of their surveillance operations against Tame and attempt to enlist Taffy as an informant. Respecting Tame, Taffy refuses and later discovers that another local police officer Potaka is a police informant.

Taffy also convinces Rusty to make amends for his vandalism. Before Rusty can return to the bakery to clean it up, Police launch a nationwide raid against suspected terrorists including Tame Iti. STG reinforcements converge on Rūātoki, arresting several local residents in early morning raids. Taffy is ordered by an STG officer to drive a school bus with children to a stop-over. STG officers mistake Rusty's broom for a weapon and chase him to his home. One of the STG officers is accidentally killed when his gun accidentally discharges during a pursuit.

Believing that Rusty murdered the officer, Captain Gallagher launches a manhunt. Potaka pursues Rusty to the Whakatāne River and manages to convince the youth to lay down his arm. However, a vengeful Kimiora attempts to shoot Rusty but hits Potaka instead. Taffy is also detained on grounds of aiding Tame Iti. Despite sustaining a bullet in his shoulder, Rusty escapes with the help of Blake, who brings the boy to his parents. Believing that Tame Iti and his followers are terrorists, Gallagher uses the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 to impose a lockdown on Rūātoki, restricting local travel and movement. To prevent further bloodshed, Tame Iti surrenders himself to the authorities.

Taffy later escapes STG custody and takes Maria hostage. In retaliation, Gallagher detains Taffy's father and threatens him in order to force him to reveal Rusty's whereabouts. As the manhunt continues, Gallagher clashes with fellow STG officer Kimiora, who grows wary of his superior officer's aggressive tactics. Using a helicopter, Gallagher's team later recaptures Taffy. Gallagher's helicopter tracks down Rusty's parents' ute. STG officer Kimiora shoots Rusty's father during the shootout but Rusty, his mother, and Blake escape the vehicle. While Dr Foon treats Rusty's injuries, Blake and Gallagher fight and subdue Kimiora, forcing him to stand down.

As the police lift their lockdown, Blake attends to the children detained on the school bus, reassuring them that the crisis is over.

Cast and characters

• Cliff Curtis as Sergeant 'Taffy' Tawharau
• Jay Ryan as Gallagher
• Manu Bennett as Kimiora
• Simone Kessell as Maria
• Tame Iti as self
• Roimata Fox as Harata
• Ria Paki as Blake
• Poroaki Merritt-McDonald as Rusty / Waikura
• Xavier Horan as Sergeant 'Ren' Renata
• Oriini Kaipara as Hine
• Byron Coll as Jarrod
• Andrew Cottle as Sergeant Philip
• Cinzia Maioha Jonathan as Dr. Foon
• Troy Kingi as Mooks
• Colin Moy as Wilson
• Rangi Rangitukunoa as Potaka
• Nepia Takuira-Mita as Pana

Production

Muru is the first film to receive funding through Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga, a New Zealand Film Commission fund intended to develop feature films in te reo Māori.[1] The film was shot in on location in the Waimana Valley and Rūātoki, where the raids took place in 2007.[2] The film was co-produced by and stars Tame Iti, who was arrested and charged with domestic terrorism during the raids, and was developed using kaupapa Māori perspective; working together with the Tūhoe to shape and create the film.[2][3] Lead actor Cliff Curtis learnt how to speak with a Tūhoe accent in Māori for the film.[4]

"Matemateāone", a 2021 song by Stan Walker performed in Te Reo Māori, was used during the film's credits.[5]

Release

The film was initially intended to be released on 3 February 2022 to coincide with Waitangi Day, however the release was delayed.[1] The film opened the New Zealand International Film Festival in Auckland on July 28,[6] before receiving a nation-wide release on 1 September 2022.[7] The film also played at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its international premiere[8] It also made it to 'Flash Forward' section of 27th Busan International Film Festival to be screened in October 2022.[9]

Reception

The film received positive reviews. It holds a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 critic reviews. Muru is the top-performing film of New Zealand origin at the New Zealand Box Office for the year, as of October 2022^[update].[10]

See also

• List of submissions to the 95th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
• List of New Zealand submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

References

External links

• Muru at IMDb
• Muru at Rotten Tomatoes

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