Have You Seen ‘We Were Dangerous’

Give it a shot!

Nathalie Morris, Erana James, and Manaia Hall in We Were Dangerous | Credit: The Forge

We Were Dangerous takes us onto a remote island in 1954, where a group of young women fight against an unjust system and seek comfort in their friendship.

This is a powerful film that uses a fictional story to shine a light on historical events that happened. Though this takes place in New Zealand and centers some of the horrors that Māori people endured, it’s easy to extrapolate this and think about Indigenous people in the US. This story, while specific to this movie, touches on universal themes and atrocities.

What impresses me the most about We Were Dangerous is just how balanced the screenplay is. This film covers some really dark subject matter. Truly horrific abuses are alluded to throughout the film, creating a very real sense of fear and dread. And the fact that we don’t see any of the violent acts happening on the island makes things even more terrifying.

But the film isn’t wholly focused on those horrors. We also see how these courageous girls are able to find joy, friendship, and agency in an environment that seeks to strip them of their dignity, voice, and culture. Throughout the film, there are breaks where we see the characters dancing or singing together. There are moments when they are able to find some respite and speak their own language, be still with one another…