In 1994, a powerful new voice emerged in cinema with Lee Tamahori's debut feature, Once Were Warriors. This social-realist drama delivered a visceral punch, establishing Tamahori as a director of immense guts and flair.
A Landmark Debut in New Zealand Cinema
Tamahori's first film presented a brutal and unflinching look at a working-class Maori family in South Auckland. The narrative centres on the Heke family, with Temuera Morrison delivering a career-defining performance as Jake, a boozing, brawling welfare claimant who terrorises his wife Beth, played by Rena Owen, and their children.
The film fearlessly explores the family's struggles, showing Jake's indifference to his sons drifting into gang culture and crime. One son undergoes a gang tattoo ritual, while another finds a path to dignity through Maori traditions like the haka and the taiaha warrior spear in a juvenile reformatory. The story reaches a devastating climax when the family's sensitive daughter, Grace, is raped by Jake's friend 'Uncle Bully'. This tragedy leads Beth to deliver the film's iconic line, reminding Jake that their people 'once were warriors' with mana, pride, and spirit.
The Hollywood Pivot and Blockbuster Success
The raw energy and emotional violence of Once Were Warriors resonated globally, making it a critical and commercial hit. Its success caught the attention of Hollywood, where executives saw Tamahori's potential to inject his dynamic style into mainstream genre films.
His American career began with the noir thriller Mulholland Falls, followed by the Anthony Hopkins survival film, The Edge. He later directed the serviceable thriller Along Came a Spider. The pinnacle of his studio work came in 2002 when he took the helm of the James Bond film, Die Another Day, starring Pierce Brosnan. The film, however, was often criticised for its outlandish gadgetry, most notably the invisible car.
A Return to Form and Cultural Roots
After his Bond chapter, Tamahori found renewed creative ground. His 2011 film, The Devil's Double, featured a standout dual performance by Dominic Cooper as Saddam Hussein's son Uday and his body double. The film was praised for being punchy and watchable, avoiding typical doppelganger clichés.
In a significant full-circle moment, Tamahori later returned to the subject of Maori culture with his 2023 film, The Convert. This project saw him collaborating with Australian critic-turned-screenwriter Shane Danielsen, marking a poignant return to his cinematic roots.
While Lee Tamahori built a diverse and notable career as an outstanding director, his most profound and enduring work remains his first. The heartfelt, gut-wrenching power of Once Were Warriors continues to be his greatest cinematic achievement.
