Their People Once Were Warriors. But Once... Was a Long Time Ago
In a violent relationship, it takes a mother’s strength to save herself and her children from the man she loved. Once Were Warriors is a violent love story set against a contemporary urban backdrop.
Once Were Warriors (1994) is a drama film directed by Lee Tamahori, released on September 2, 1994 with a runtime of 1h 39m. It stars Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell and Julian Arahanga. Viewers rate it 7.4 out of 10 across 510 ratings.
Watch the official trailer for Once Were Warriors before you stream it.
Rena Owen
as Beth Heke
Temuera Morrison
as Jake Heke
Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell
as Grace Heke
Julian Arahanga
as Nig Heke
Taungaroa Emile
as Mark 'Boogie' Heke
Rachael Morris Jr.
as Polly Heke
Joseph Kairau
as Huata Heke
Cliff Curtis
as Bully
Pete Smith
as Dooley
George Henare
as Bennett
Mere Boynton
as Mavis
Shannon Williams
as Toot
Directed by Lee Tamahori, written by Riwia Brown and Alan Duff, produced by Robin Scholes.
Average viewer score of 7.4/10 from 510 ratings.
**The power and importance of cultural roots.** This was the first New Zealand film I saw, at least as far as I remember and am aware of that. It's a violent film, with a raw brutality that shocks us by how authentic it sounds. Domestic violence? Child rape? It's not something you only see in the movies. It's something you see in a newspaper. That's what shocks us the most: knowing it's something real. And I warn…
Reviewed on May 29, 2023
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Once Were Warriors (1994) is available to stream on Film Movement Plus, BFI Player Amazon Channel and Film Movement Plus Amazon Channel, and to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home and Apple TV Store. Streaming availability is checked against JustWatch data and can change by region.
The main cast of Once Were Warriors (1994) includes Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, Julian Arahanga and Taungaroa Emile. The film was directed by Lee Tamahori. You can see the full cast and crew list, with character names, further up this page.
Once Were Warriors was released on September 2, 1994 and runs for 1h 39m.
Once Were Warriors (1994) holds an average rating of 7.4 out of 10 from 510 viewer votes, and is a good pick if you enjoy drama films. Read the viewer reviews on this page to decide for yourself.
Yes. The official Once Were Warriors trailer is embedded in the trailer section of this page and plays instantly, no download or sign-up required.
