“Mārama” follows a young Māori woman who is summoned from New Zealand to North Yorkshire. There, she uncovers her horrific colonial heritage and is compelled to confront and destroy the titled Englishman who devastated her family.
Slow Burn Rooted in History
The early stages of “Mārama” are slow-moving. But they are important. The film spends the first third of its 89-minute runtime examining Māori culture — artifacts, structures and the language — though not from the people themselves.
The themes within “Mārama” are immediately apparent. It explores complex topics like colonialism, including the cultural appropriation, racism, human rights violations and identity destruction that can follow. The premise is simple, but it’s expanded upon in unexpected ways.
While many historical atrocities are oftentimes left in the past, “Mārama” doesn’t want viewers to forget. By forgoing a traditional horror approach, it actually becomes scarier in the process. This is all built through Mary’s experiences, facing generational trauma and inner rage caused by others’ cruelty. Some of the movie’s most tense moments simply come from seeing those around her take ownership of her culture, mocking it in the process. And while not being able to live directly in her shoes, the film makes valiant attempts at allowing the audience to feel her pain.
“‘Mārama’ is a challenging story,” said writer-director Taratoa Stappard. “It’s a confronting story, and ultimately, it’s a horrifying story. But I really hope that audiences here in Aotearoa, New Zealand and around the world find a way into the characters and the story and that ultimately, they feel that the revenge at the end of the film brings them a well-earned sense of catharsis.”
Stappard impresses in his feature debut. Nearly everything about the film is gripping, from the performances to the visuals to the score and to the story itself. There’s a clear identity within “Mārama” that not many other movies are able to achieve.
Commanding Performance at the Core
However, it’s Ariāna Osborne (Mary/Mārama and Emilia/Te Haeata) who makes “Mārama” what it is. In every moment, Osborne is commanding; whether that’s silent stares or rageful screams. She makes all of the pain and suffering that her character endures feel real, which, in turn, makes the film’s final moments all the more sweet.
Because, this is ultimately a revenge story. And a satisfying one at that. “Traditional” horror comes in the final act, delivering all of the blood (and unsettling imagery) that genre fans will enjoy. Still, “Mārama” remains anything but generic. The gore comes in different doses — good and bad. Some of it will have you cheering. Other moments are meant to generate discomfort. As previously mentioned, this is all a part of the movie’s unique spin on the horror genre.
Also in the film are Toby Stephens (Nathaniel Cole), Umi Myers (Peggy), Erroll Shand (Jack Fenton) and Evelyn Towersey (Anne). Stephens and Shand prove to be a strong duo, doing their job of generating disgust to near perfection. Stephens, specifically, dives into the dark depths of his character to create an authentically uncomfortable persona.
Powerful Vision with Minor Stumbles
Cinematographer Gin Loane frames shots in ways that constantly heighten the tension. Despite taking place in primarily a single location, the film remains stunning. Everything isn’t center frame here. Instead, the action fills up the screen, leaving small details lurking in the background. Editor Dan Kircher plays a role in this as well. The film interjects small pieces from the past throughout, which creates a “jump scare” effect at times.
Karl Sölve Steven and Rob Thorne also craft a haunting score. It’s loud in moments and subtle in others. This contrast is what makes it so effective.
While “Mārama” typically succeeds, it’s still not perfect.
There are moments where the film doesn’t fully trust its audience; whether that’s with the lore, themes or story itself. Both in the beginning and end, it tends to over-explain details rather than leave them ambiguous. This ends up hindering the pacing as well, as certain segments lose necessity compared to others.
The unpleasant subject matter may be hard for some viewers to digest as well. But it does prepare the audience for this, with a lingering message at the movie’s start:
“This story is grounded in the colonised history of Aotearoa, New Zealand. It contains disturbing scenes of the violation and desecration of Māori culture. To move into our future, we must understand our past…”
“Mārama” channels the horrors of colonization into a revenge-thriller framework. It’s an uncomfortable yet powerful film that refuses to let its history be forgotten.
Rating: 4 out of 5
