A documentary showcasing a group of young Maori musicians and their rise to fame, along with the struggles that come from success at a young age.
USA Tribeca Film Festival 
New Zealand New Zealand International Film Festival 
Australia SXSW Sydney New Zealand Australia New Zealand USA 
TRIBECA 2024
Very cool fun doc that focuses on the four family members. Sorry German: Maori is the most metal language now.
I can’t be out here reviewing a movie I’m in, but I’m also dedicated to my Letterboxd Log.
Cool story about a Māori band and their rise to fame/popularity, but a pretty standard presentation as a documentary.
have never listened to Alien Weaponry's music, however went along to this doco bc what they do piques my interest.
this felt smooth and cohesive - a genuine display of the band. who they are, what they create, and how they do it. honest and down to earth.
would have loved to have seen more about their creative process/writing perhaps.
it also really made me wish that everyone had a doco i could watch to get a little insight into their form! i think i just love documentary format:)
chur!
Pretty standard band doco but swap out the massive meltdowns with sibling fights.
Would’ve preferred to see more on importance of language preservation and the Māori bond as I definitely thought those were the most interesting parts.
Started listening to the boys in prep for this a few weeks ago and have come to really enjoy them so definitely keen on following them and seeing just how insane their lives get (seriously can’t believe what they’ve achieved at their age).
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
disappointed but not surprised to learn that the symphony orchestra show in ōtautahi was cancelled bc of a lime scooter lmao!! it was awesome to see these boys grow into their insane careers and experience the global metal community while holding onto, and sharing, their māoritanga. also had the beautiful experience of the whole cinema (all 15 people, but still) singing tūtira mai ngā iwi together right before the credits rolled. great doco to cap off te wiki o te reo māori i tēnei tau.
If you think the three tāne that make up the heavy metal band Alien Weaponry are young now, Alien Weaponry: Kua Tupu Te Ara shows you that this project is actually over a decade in the making. The documentary takes you to the start of the band’s journey from its formation in 2010 by Henry De Jong and his brother Lewis, then just ten and eight years old respectively.
Director Kent Belcher began filming Alien Weaponry six years ago, when Henry and Lewis were teenagers, but includes footage filmed by their ever-supportive parents, Niel and Jette, dating back to the 2000s. We follow the band from their first performances at Smokefree Rockquest, to European metal festivals, through to their international…
Tribeca #5
Shit. I actually saw a documentary short about this band like 5 years ago called Māori Metal by David Freid.
NZIFF '24 #16
my brother was a stage tech at that Christchurch show that got cancelled back when he was in uni haha - he knew about the finger break but not what caused it, I'll have to update him
but yeah, as a music documentary it was pretty conventional in its structuring, but really fun subject matter, and the music was so good
(Henry and Lewis also did a quick Q+A afterwards, they seem like some real cool fellas 🤘)
The kiwi urge to sing tūtira mai ngā iwi at *any* given moment for *any* reason. AUEEEEEE
Timmy ist not wrong, Maori really ist a very metal language.
Nice dudes, magnificient musicianship, a nice enough documentary.
