Whale Rider is about a young girl, Pai, who lives in a tribe of native New Zealanders. She is a descendant of an ancient Whale Rider, a title which is passed down from father to son each generation. Her grandfather, the tribe's chief, and her father refuse to allow her to be the next in that line, because she is a girl, and she is sent to live with her grandparents. Even so, she is drawn to the whales in the ocean and feels a connection with them. When a herd of whales washes up on the beach and can't get back to the water, Pai's grandfather sees it as a terrible omen, but Pai tries to help.

This was a very good dramatic movie. Pai is a very likeable character, and you can easily sympathize with her. There are a lot of sad parts in the movie, but it's still a very good story that draws you in. The images in the movie are beautiful, especially the ocean scenery.