Set among Maori tribes in pre-colonial New Zealand, this 2014 action-adventure turns a story of grief into a brutal test of survival across unforgiving terrain.
What is The Dead Lands about?
When a rival tribe massacres his people through a broken pact, a young chief's son is left with nothing but a duty to the dead: reclaim honor for his father and his fallen kin. His path leads through territory known as the dead lands, home to a feared and solitary warrior who has survived there alone for years. Forced to seek this outcast's help, the young man is drawn into a punishing journey where combat, endurance and old tribal codes matter more than numbers or weapons.
About the cast
James Rolleston leads the film as the chief's son thrust into a mission far beyond his years, opposite Lawrence Makoare as the isolated warrior whose skill and reputation dominate the dead lands. Te Kohe Tuhaka, Xavier Horan and Raukura Turei round out the pursuing and opposing tribal factions, with George Henare and Rena Owen adding further weight to the film's ensemble of Maori elders and warriors.
Context & significance
Director Toa Fraser shot the film in New Zealand's own rugged landscapes, using them not as scenery but as an active obstacle the characters must physically fight through. The production leaned on traditional Maori weaponry and hand-to-hand combat choreography rather than modern action tropes, giving the film a grounded, physical style that sets it apart from most studio adventure titles of the period. Its New Zealand–United Kingdom co-production roots also shaped a cast built almost entirely from Maori and Pacific actors. The film also stands out for keeping its scale intentionally small: rather than sprawling armies or elaborate set pieces, it narrows the conflict down to a handful of characters moving through hostile land, which keeps the tension personal and the stakes easy to follow from start to finish.
Watching The Dead Lands on Ktime
The Dead Lands streams on K-Time with both Persian dubbing and Persian subtitles, so Farsi-speaking viewers can watch it fully in their own language. As with the rest of the catalogue, all that's needed is a free K-Time account login — no separate purchase.