Shared Interests: 3/5
Hec, is a typical southern New Zealand man. He practically grew up in the bush and has many survival and wilderness skills to show for it. He could teach you to hunt, bird-watch, bush-whack, and a host of other outdoor activities. But in order for that to happen, you may need to poorly fake your own death, get lost in the woods, run for weeks from child services, and maybe accidentally shoot him. So if you think it is worth the work then he would be a great dad to spend time with.
Dad Jokes: 2/5
Hec is a pretty serious guy. He doesn’t talk much and mostly keeps to himself. It is hard to imagine him cracking a joke that makes everyone in the room cringe so hard they hurt themselves. But that is the standard we are upholding for our dads here at raddaads.net. He does open up quite a bit during his journey through the bush with Ricky. So maybe dad jokes are waiting for him further down the line? I mean I would love to see a sequel. Even if it is bad I just gotta know.
Protection: 5/5
When it comes to protection, Hec is pretty awesome. As mentioned in the first section, he is a master of the outdoors. He and Ricky survive for weeks in some of the toughest bush in New Zealand. If you’re lost, he’ll use the flight patterns of the birds to help you find your way. If you’re being attacked by a wild boar he will scare it. If you’re hungry for some ham and eggs, he’ll kill the boar, steal some eggs from the bird’s nest, and whip up a fire-cooked omelet in no time. Basically, whatever it is, he’s got you covered.
Hug: 3/5
The key hug moment in Hunt for the Wilder People comes at the end of the film. Ricky wraps his arm around Hec in a big bear hug. Hec in turn, simply pats him on the back. It isn’t the best hug we’ve ever seen but it is still quite loving. And for someone who doesn’t express a lot of emotion, it is a pretty big deal.
Wisdom: 4/5
Being illiterate doens’t stop Hec from being a wise dad. He was clever enough to know exactly how to find Ricky in the bush after he ran away. He also has an encclopedic knowledge of birds and other natural life. While his emotional intellgence maybe be somewhat lacking, with the help of Ricky he greatly improves over the course of their journey together.
Bonus: +2 for his cool hat and accent.