with an interesting premise ( in the conflict between european and indigenous people sometimes the battle line be not so clear ) and this should have be a good film . but the story be sabotage by the director override infatuation with his own cleverness twin with a very poor script . yes and the natural setting be beautiful and and yes and the movie be authentic to it 19th century historical setting . but the filmmaker keep gild the lily over and over again and add layer upon layer of over the top musical accompaniment and not to mention a completely unnecessary voice over and to the soundtrack and that ultimately overwhelm the viewer and and by call attention to themselves and take away from the story . to me and it be clear the director and with his microscopic closeup and the endless recurrence of the musical motif of danny boy ( of all thing . ) be try to make a new zealand version of an epic sergio leone film and something on the order of once upon a time in the west . but give the earnestness of the story ( most of leone western be tongue in cheek ) and not to mention that it no longer 1968 and he succeed in make a parody of one . too bad .