Eagle vs Shark (2007)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Taika Cohen

Writers:

Taika Cohen (story)
Taika Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

17 August 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Finding love was never so... Awkward.

Plot:

Eagle vs Shark is the tale of two socially awkward misfits and the strange ways they try to find love; through revenge on high-school bullies, burgers, and video games. |

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Video Game | Bird In Title | Versus In Title | Father Daughter Relationship

Awards:

5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Loren Horsley	...	Lily
Jemaine Clement	...	Jarrod
Joel Tobeck	...	Damon
Brian Sergent	...	Jonah
Craig Hall	...	Doug Davis
Rachel House	...	Nancy
Morag Hills	...	Vinny
Bernard Stewart	...	Zane
Taika Cohen	...	Gordon (as Taika Waititi)
David Fane	...	Eric Elisi
Cohen Holloway	...	Mason
Gentiane Lupi	...	Tracy
Chelsie Preston-Crayford	...	Jenny (as Chelsie Preston Crayford)
Adam Gardiner	...	Tony
Jackie van Beek	...	Burger Staff

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality, and brief animated violence.

Runtime:

USA:88 min | Germany:93 min (Berlin International Film Festival)

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 (theatrical) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Cuba Mall, Wellington, New Zealand

Company:

New Zealand Film Commission

Trivia:

The script was workshopped at the exclusive Sundance Director's and Screenwriter's Labs.

Quotes:

[Jarrod's family and Lily are all eating dinner together. Jarrod clumsily clinks his fork on his glass to get everybody's attention]
Jarrod: [stands up] Well, I suppose I should say a few words...
Nancy: [interrupting] Why?
Jarrod: [shoots Nancy a look before continuing] Now we're all here, I'd just like to say that I'm really happy that we're all together under the same roof. It's always great to come home. And I'd also like to say that this Saturday I will be having a scheduled fight with Eric Elisi, the Samoan.
Nancy: Oh, yeah. He used to beat you up.
Mason: And me.
Jarrod: [points at Mason] Yeah, and him. He was the toughest guy at our school. He used to pick on quite a few people, actually. Anyway, you're all invited to attend, it'd be great to see you there. Thank you.
[sits]
Zane: Why are you fighting him, Uncle?
Jarrod: [stands again] Well Zane, basically, I'm gonna restore honour to the family name. To your family name.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Mortal Kombat (1992) (VG)

Soundtrack:

The Body Breaks

"I was going to come as a shark but I realized an eagle was slightly better."

"Eagle Vs Shark" is the story of two people considered 'losers' by society and how they might...just might...be right for one another. On one hand you have Jerrod, a twelve-year old boy trapped in a man's body who enjoys making candles, plotting revenge on the school bully that ruined his life and playing the video game 'Fight Man'. On the other hand, you have the fragile Lilly who sings songs about tangerines, lets people walk all over her and dreams about how Jerrod (a regular customer at the fast food restaurant where she works) may one day love her.

Creating a quirky, whimsical movie featuring two geeks who are awkward and barely able to function in society is difficult to pull off but New Zealand film maker Taika Watiti manages it. What makes this movie different to many others which focus on similar characters is that "Eagle Vs Shark" never stoops to mocking its characters despite the opportunity to do so. The audience is invited to share in their hopes and defeats, rather than stand back and laugh at their offbeat behaviour. It is a romantic comedy about two characters who are ill-suited to the genre (Lilly wears her shark costume while lying in bed with Jerrod for example).

Whilst both leads are magnificent, Loren Horsley is the real find here. With her wide innocent eyes, crooked smile and shy demeanour, she creates a character which you can truly connect with. Jerrod may be a complete jerk and oblivious to everyone around him but you never doubt that Lilly truly loves him. She's the type of girl who fades into the background of any room and Horsley manages to convey her joy and heartbreak in a way that you really want her to have a happy ending. Jermaine Clement as Jerrod is a lot harder to warm to because of his actions (and inactions) throughout the movie but ultimately you come to share Lilly's faith that the two are right for one another.

It's hard to avoid the comparisons to "Napoleon Dynamite" when reviewing "Eagle VS Shark". The deadpan deliveries of the characters in both movies is similar and the tone is almost identical. It's safe to assume that if you hated "Napoleon Dynamite" then you're absolutely going to loathe "Eagle VS Shark". Everyone else should give this movie a chance. Like the characters it features, it's not perfect but, like love, it's an uplifting experience.

Awkward. Quirky. Wonderful.

Recommended.