The Maori

Considered by many to be Suddard 19, (even though it is clearly a spin off), "The Maori" released in late 2016 was a smash hit film based on the origins of popular Old Man Suddard character, The Maori, first introduced in OMS: Well Hung (2011) and went on to appear in both Suddard: Civil War (2012) and Suddard: Sudfinity War (2014) and his own comic series from February 2012 to March 2013. The film was directed by Tomskin Downz Jr. The role of the Maori was reprised by Tui Waitika.

     This film set long before the events of the Old Man Suddard films, tells the story of Hemi Parata, (translated into English as James Brothers), and his story including his battle against invaders during the New Zealand Maori wars of 1845-1872.

Plot

Hemi Parata is shown playing and training with his young friends, Hohepa and Mikaere when he notices a beautiful girl across the hills from him. He goes and speaks to her, finding out that her name is Ataahua. Spending time with her, instead of tending to an escaped animal, leads to an accident that sets Hemi's home on fire, killing both his parents and leaving his Brother, Rangi, horribly disfigured, something that haunts The Maori for years. Hemi picks up his father's old spear and promises to train hard in order to never bring harm to his people again. Hemi grows up into a strong warrior alongside Hohepa and Mikaere whilst Rangi is left weedy and envious of them. One night, Hohepa is poisoned and dies. Hemi is quickly framed and expelled from the tribe, just before the camp is attacked by British Imperial troops. The tribe fight all they can and Hemi attempts to get back to save Ataahua but fails and she is brutally beaten and taken away. Hemi looks on as his fellow villagers are slaughtered by the invaders. He is quickly knocked out by a British warrior and when he wakes up, he finds the village's remains. Working out that he has been betrayed, Hemi begins training some more, travelling into the New Zealand hills to speak with a powerful Maori healer named Kak. Kak teaches him the true power of the spear and talks him through a ritual that will allow him to have more agility than ever before. Kak shoves a new Sudamantium spear through Hemi's chest and gives him the tattoos that can make him stronger. Kak reveals that many years ago, he went to a distant place, and after getting hungry from his travels, tried to eat an old man with goggles. When he bit into him, the old man fled but left Kak with teeth that had this strange metal on them. The metal also had the old man's blood on it. Kak had then pulled these teeth out and created a spell that would harness it into a spear, and mix the old man's blood with Hemi's as he knew this must be magical. Hemi thanks Kak.

   Later that night, as Hemi is out hunting, Rangi arrives and confronts Hemi about the jealousy that he feels. The two wrestle, and Hemi gets ready to murder Rangi for betraying the village and killing Hohepa. Rangi says that he was going to say the same thing. The two are interrupted by a distant scream.

Racing to Kak's tent, the two come across Kak, having been stabbed in the back by a British knife man. Hemi fights the man and eventually kills him, realizing that Rangi was meant to distract him. Rangi looks on at the dead knife man before swearing to Hemi that he didn't do it. Stealing some shackles from the dead knife man and burying Kak, Hemi chains himself to Rangi, racing towards the British stronghold. A large guard waits for the pair and quickly knocks Hemi and holds a gun to his head. Rangi saves Hemi and kills the warrior before a high ranking leader of the invaders releases his army on the pair. Rangi watches as Hemi instructs him in fighting and even though the two are tied together, take on the whole army in a scene that won an award for best onesided fight scene. Hemi and Rangi manage to plow through the forces before an arrow flies through the air, impaling Rangi. Mikaere lowers his bow revealing himself to be the traitor and Hemi apologises to Rangi as he dies. The high ranking invader is then quickly speared by Hemi. Hemi faces Mikaere, who resends Hemi because he always loved Ataahua, even though Ataahua loves Hemi. Hemi roars, "I AM THE MAORI," before fighting his enemy, still dragging Rangi's corpse around during the fight, using it as a shield. Hemi eventually kills Mikaere and saves Ataahua before the two have sex, Rangi's corpse still attached to The Maori at the time. The Maori chops off his hand, escaping from the shackles before finding the key. He hugs Ataahua before going home.

SEVENTY YEARS LATER: Ataahua dies, an old woman. Hemi hasn't aged a day. Thanks to the secrets of Kak.

In the year 2011, still in his prime, but a lonely man who has moved to America to join an assassin's agency in order to make money, Hemi gets a new hand. Hemi plays with his spear and cuts himself. His blood runs down the shaft. He looks at it, remembering that an Old Man gave him this cursed blood. The Maori then gets a call from a woman named Jade, asking him to assassinate a man named Suddard, hence setting up the events of OMS: Well Hung.

The film ends with a quote by New Zealand Maori chief, Ruhe, " Kaore te aroha mohukihuki ana, Te panga mai ki ahau, me he ahi e tahu." which translates as, "Alas, this all-devouring grief, that burns within me like a flame."

Trivia

Ataahua, literally translates into English as beautiful.

The Maori won awards for best actor as well as best portrayal of a racial stereotype.

A small cameo of Patty Rick as Old Man Suddard can be seen near the start of the film. Suddard is stood in a group of Maoris. He looks around at them before taking out a map, muttering something and walking off.

Creative differences plagued the film at first, almost leading to the producer, Richard Maibause, firing Tomskin Downz Jr. However, when shown a rough cut of the film, Maibause realized Downz's cinematic genius and gave him a lifetime contract to make whatever films he wanted to in the SudCo Universe.