i recall be confuse the first time i saw this film and not long after it be first release and probably due to be young and naive at the time . have revisit the film 30 year later i find that i have be able to follow the subtlety of the plot more easily . the movie be a commentary on life challenge and how one young man smith ( sam neill ) respond to some of these challenge . i like this movie now because not only do it show something of new zealand past and the possibility the film maker foresee ( some of which later come to pass a part of nz history ) but because it be an early vehicle for several new zealand film maker craft .