Rapa Nui Page #2

Synopsis: Tenuously based on the legends of Easter Island, Chile, this story details a civil war between the two tribes on the island: the Long Ears and the Short Ears. A warrior from the ruling class falls in love with a girl from the lower class, and must decide on his position in a time of great civil unrest. The ruling class are demanding larger and larger Moai (stone statues), a task which the lower class and the island ecology are more and more reluctant to provide.
Director(s): Kevin Reynolds
Production: Warner Home Video
  1 win & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
6.4
R
Year:
1994
107 min
190 Views


I'm not that hungry.

Remember when we were little?

You, me and Ramana would come

and climb this thing.

Back when there were more trees.

Things change.

They say this land was

covered with trees.

But Hotu Matu'a will send for

us before they're gone.

At least that's what

grandfather says.

You believe all that?

Don't you?

I only believe

What I can see,

What I can feel,

And what I don't have.

Why did you

Bring me here?

To talk. Who do you think I'll

have to beat in the race?

Ngaara and Kahumea.

- What about Makita?

- He can't swim.

Help me train.

Just some pointers. You know,

for old time's sake.

Why?

So your grandfather can be Birdman

again and work us all to death?

I have to

Win, Make.

They'll let us marry if I win.

Where is she?

In the White Virgins cave

until the race.

You put her in that hole?!

She wanted to! It's the only

way the gods,

The gods?

There are no

Gods!

Except the ones we

Make up! There's no

Spiritland! No Hotu Matu'a

coming for us.

Nothing out there

But sea!

This is all there ever was!

All there ever will be

No matter how many idiot

statues we build.

You love her, too.

That's it, isn't it?

You're as

Blind as your grandfather.

And even dumber than your crazy father.

At least I know who my father was.

I don't need your

Long Ear handouts.

And we were never

Friends!

Will you swim for me,

the Ariki-mau

The reigning Birdman?

Haoa!

Will you train me to compete

for the Birdman?

My daughter sits in

a cave for you.

You know the cliffs

- And currents better than anyone.

- Do I?

You trained my father.

Crazy Long Ear.

He won.

Y es, he did. Then one day he got

in one of my canoes

Sailed over

The horizon and never returned.

Got me banished here.

I'm not like him.

- I can see that.

- I'll give you

What you want.

Oh?

Then make the forests grow back so I have

Wood to work.

And explain why Ramana's skin

is not good enough.

Will you train me?

No. You're too ignorant.

Who's there?

It's me.

Noro?

No. Make.

How are you?

I'd love to stand up,

Move my legs.

- Did they feed you today?

- A little, yes.

I brought you something.

Here.

A yam!

I'm sorry there's not more.

It's all I have.

I'm not rich,

- And Long Ear, like him.

- Make! You must stop this.

Ramana, you're Short Ear.

I'm short Ear.

Why can't you love your own Kind?

You cannot choose

Who you love. Only whose love

To accept.

I can wait.

I've waited all my life.

He was here again, wasn't he?

Are you cold?

- I brought you something warm.

- No, I'm fine.

Ramana,

Do you think I've been ignorant?

I think you've just been a boy.

Is it night or day, my love?

It's night.

Your forty-fifth.

Who will climb the cliffs at

Orongo in the spring?

And swim with the sharks to Motu Nui?

For the first manutara egg?

And if you win

Who will be your Birdman?

Let each clan

Announce their choice now.

Kahumea for Mokoi

Of the Marama clan.

Pounatea For Ataranga

Of the Haumoana clan.

Hinaioio

For Teaue of the Hamea clan.

Makita

For Hira of the Kotuu clan.

Ngaara

For Tiko of the Ngatimo clan.

Noroinia

Of the royal Miru clan

For the Ariki-mau..

Ariki-paka.

Matua Tane.

Something worries me.

The training?

Too many mouths having too many children.

Good land turning to

Dust.

It's the moai.

They're eating everything.

No one's thinking beyond that.

I said to myself,

If you, the Ariki-mau, knew

This was happening you would stop it.

Anyhow, this is what I see.

Worry about the race.

All clear!

Rollers ready!

But I don't understand.

Replaced?

It's taken 41/2 moons to get this far.

You're far behind schedule.

But we've had hats to do as well.

And there's not enough rope.

- Riro's in charge now!

- But...

This is not possible.

I've been master carver for 27 years.

This is all I have.

You're old, Heke.

Join the crew.

Move it!

Sorry, Heke.

Try and forget about it.

Go dump this.

Lines!

Lines ready?

Pit ready?

Cut the keel.

Cut the keel.

Again.

Come on!

Hold.

More rope!

More rope!

More men!

More men! Do as I say, quickly!

Move! Move!

What for?

Heke!

We want more.

More what?

More of everything.

There used to be plenty.

That was before there were

So many of you.

There are more Long Ears.

- But even more of you!

- We like it that way.

It's good to have lots of children.

It honors the ancestors.

Why aren't you in the quarry?

Heke's dead.

I heard.

Terrible thing. Terrible.

The Short Ears say they want

more of everything.

It was pointed out that as there

is more of everyone

Especially them,

there is unfortunately less.

Then we want more of what's left

Or what?

We will build no more moai. -Including

The big one.

Tupa said you loved the project.

Tupa!

Apparently I was misled.

Not finish the moai?

Are you mad?

Everything depends on that!

We want half the crops.

Half?

- And half the wood for fuel.

- What?

- And no more hats!

- That's ridiculous!

So is your stupid statue.

One more thing.

What?

We wanna compete for the Birdman.

Kill them!

Then

Who will build the moai?

None of us remember how.

A word, please, Tupa.

I don't need this. I have

chicken entrails to read.

Then let me slay them and

make your day serene.

Just give them something.

A little food and fuel.

But competing for the Birdman!

They'll be too tired,

But they have to have something.

Ariki-paka,

I don't recall me not caring, priest.

This is unheard of.

- It's bad precedent

- Just give them

Something!

Why?

Because I see real danger in all this.

Oh, why must everything

be so difficult?

Here he comes.

You have broken

so many tapu

today that Makemake

should eat your souls in

hell for eternity!

But I will grant these requests,

on one condition.

For the Short Ears to enter

The Birdman race

The Great Moai must be finished

With a hat, by the time

the sunbirds arrive

At Motu Nui.

But if he loses the race

The Short Ear competitor

will be sacrificed

To honor

The reign of the new Birdman,

Your insolence today!

Now,

Who would swim

for the Short Ears?

I will.

Make. If you win,

Who will be your Birdman?

Myself.

Fine. Back to work

Now.

Though I make one last

condition, Ariki-mau.

What?

If the great moai is

finished in time

And if I swim for

and win the Birdman

The girl

In the Virgin cave is mine.

That seems fair.

Agreed..

Just finish the moai

In time.

I don't want to hear it.

You said you'd win.

Make!

There, there.

Canoe builder!

Join us.

Your future son-in law asks you to

train him for the Birdman!

I can't.

Why not?

I promised someone else.

Come on!

Eat. Sleep.

At first light... we begin.

This is our chance.

We have a moon before the birds come.

You must help me do the impossible.

But if we work all day

When will you train?

Starting now.

One... two

Three!

- One... two

- Three!

One

- Two

- Three!

One! Two! Three!

Three!

One! Two! Three!

Do you want to win?

More than anything.

Enough to

- See him sacrificed?

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Tim Rose Price

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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