Wicker

What’s it about?

In this fantasy comedy, an outcast fisherwoman commissions a basketmaker to create a husband from wicker. Their novel relationship and romance elicits jealousy and resentment among the villagers. 

The facts 

• Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson 
• Starring Olivia Colman (The Roses), Alexander Skarsgard (The Northman), Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown), and Peter Dinklage (Wicked)
• English language 
• Runtime: 105 minutes
• Wicker’s titular character, the Wicker Husband, was designed and created by Wētā Workshop

Why did it get this rating? 

This film was classified by Te Mana Whakaatu, Classification Office. You can find out more about classification process and ratings here.

Suicide reference 

There is a brief undetailed comment about a historical suicide. 

Sex

Characters, including the wicker husband, are shown engaging in sexual intercourse. This is implied through vocalisations, movements, and positioning. Most of these scenes are comic in tone. 

There are frequent sexual jokes and innuendo related to genitalia and sexual acts, as well as rude sexual gestures with objects, such as a knife and a carrot. 

The word “f*ck” and its derivatives are occasionally used to mean sex. 

Violence 

A wicker character is set on fire in an emotionally driven moment. Their torso is covered in flames as they flee the scene. They are later discovered alive but missing parts of their body. 

A human character falls from a roof and suffers several bloody gashes to their ankle that require stitches.

A character recalls a story from their childhood about a girl bullying a boy. His body was held underwater which subsequently led to his death. 

Content that may disturb 

The village society follow a patriarchal system of beliefs where women are subservient to men. This behaviour is contextualised within the medieval setting of the film. 

Other disturbing content includes: 

• A woman with an unwanted pregnancy seeks a potion to cause an abortion. 
• A character recalls a story from her childhood about a girl bullying a boy. His body was held underwater which subsequently led to his death. 
• It is heavily implied that a young grief-stricken woman abandons her commissioned ‘wicker baby’.
• Close-up depictions of fish being caught and gutted by the side of a river. Whole animal carcasses are also cooked and sliced during wedding feasts. 

Offensive language

The film contains regular use of offensive and coarse language such as “c*nny” and “f*ck”, “sh*t”, “b*tch”, and “arse”. This language is comic in tone and used casually or as an expression of stress and frustration. 

When content stays with you: 

We all have our boundaries, and it’s completely okay if something you’ve watched is weighing on your mind. If certain content lingers with you, consider having a chat with friends or whānau to debrief about what you’ve just seen. But if you’re still feeling affected, please reach out to any of the following helplines for support.  

• 1737
• Safe to talk
• Lifeline
• Youthline

Further information 

• Why are ratings and content warnings important for me and my whānau?