Taika Waititi Slams Biopics as Cinema’s Biggest Snooze

Taika Waititi’s approach to filmmaking and public life is anything but predictable. Fans who were all for his quirky, low-budget vampire comedy What We Do in the Shadows might have found themselves less than thrilled at the thought of sitting through a superhero blockbuster. The New Zealand director, writer, and actor has dabbled in all sorts of genres, and even his biggest supporters have probably scratched their heads at some of his choices. That’s just how he likes it. Waititi’s made a name for himself with a brand of cheeky, subversive humour that would have most teachers at their wits’ end. This attitude seeps into his films and is just as obvious whenever he’s chatting to the press.

He’s got a knack for saying what most celebs would never dare, sometimes just to stir the pot. He’s even called himself his own biggest fan, a thought plenty in the industry probably share but would never say out loud. Occasionally, his comments seem more about getting a reaction than being brutally honest. He once declared, without a hint of hesitation, that director’s cuts are rubbish. But it’s his take on a whole film genre that really raised eyebrows.

Taking the Micky Out of Biopics

Back in 2017, Waititi didn’t hold back when asked about biographical films. He labelled them

“the worst type of movie”

and reckoned they’re a guaranteed yawn.

“They’re always subject to such scrutiny,”

he said,

“Like … ‘Oh, they really learned to play piano, they went around wearing blue suede shoes for the entire shoot’. I think, why is that interesting for an actor? Who cares?”

It’s not exactly a wild opinion. The industry’s got a long history of churning out self-important, slow-moving biopics and pushing them towards awards season glory.

But if you were to point fingers at the genre that’s done the most damage to the art of film, it’s hard to go past comic book flicks. The fact that the bloke behind Thor decided to have a go at the genre responsible for classics like Lawrence of Arabia and Raging Bull, while giving a free pass to the ones that brought us Green Lantern and the rise of Zack Snyder, is pretty telling. It’s not exactly a great look for someone who claims to be all about brutal honesty.

Waititi’s Unfiltered Persona

What really stands out from that spicy interview is that Waititi’s not out to be taken too seriously. Whether he’s on stage at an awards night or poking fun at Hollywood’s sacred cows, he’s always up for a bit of mischief. In fact, it wouldn’t be a shock if he changed his tune on biopics altogether. He’s already floated the idea of making a musical about the Fyre Festival fiasco. Wouldn’t put it past him to tackle a sci-fi epic about Genghis Khan or Mahatma Gandhi next. Honestly, plenty of punters would be keen to see what he’d do with it.