In the Fire of War
In the Fire of War
Set in New Zealand in 1864, follows the story of a crucial conflict of the nation's first land warfare, fought between Maori and colonial soldiers against insurmountable odds.
Kevin Ward reviewedJune 30, 2025
Reminded me of Apocalypto in a lot of ways—not for its action, but for its spirit of Indigenous resistance. Ka Whawhai Tonu: Struggle Without End recounts the 1864 siege of Ōrākau, when Māori tribes united in a final stand against British forces in colonial New Zealand. It's a powerful story of courage, identity, and self-preservation.
The filmmaking itself feels like an extension of that continued cultural resistance. Told entirely in te reo Māori, filmed on location, and utilizing Māori descendant actors and filmmakers where possible. Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis lend star power, but it’s Paku Fernandez, in his magnetic debut, who anchors much of the film's latter half.