I totally agree, Elektra was a terrible movie! The whole this advertising the hot red jump suit and she barely wears it in the whole movie! Rip off!

As for the advert, haven't seen it but really, who cares? It's kind of cool that another country was so impressed by our culture that they decided to use it in an advert.

My feelings are somewhere between puzzled and flattered! I didn't think their Haka was that bad - that movie Invictus had a way more embarrassing version of it at the end.

It's funny how us Kiwis can be quite precious about how we're perceived on a world stage. Like everytime someone famous from overseas visits the firt question the media ask them is "So what do you think of NZ?" and they always answer "It's so beautiful, the people are so friendly" etc. Just once I'd like to hear them answer "I hate it, the weather is bad and the people aren't very friendly!"

This just in... The Japanese don't care what we think. Vis a vis - Whaling.

I don't think the Rugby Union have any right to be annoyed. It was not their haka to start with. And I don't think the Maori people should be too concerned either...as you say, maybe they should be flattered, even if it is a badly done haka, at least the culture is getting noticed? I don't think it is disrespectful, unless disrespect is meant. The Rugby Union lost some of the respect they had when they tried to copyright the silver fern, started using aididas as opposed to local company Canterbury (any coincidence LWR are laying off hundreds of people lately?), started putting on games in Hong Kong just for the money, won't let Argentina, Samoa, Fiji etc get a look in at the Tri Nations, and narrow mindedly play Australia, South Africa, over and over again. I think they have also missed the point that while they are trying to make the game more exciting for spectators e.g. no rucking, more running, players not allowed to do bugger all at tackle time, they are completely forgetting the fact that the players themselves loved the game the way it was! Hell....that rant went a bit longer than expected...sorry everyone.

I'm sorry, but the cultural cringe is still alive and well. NZ seems so desperate to be liked that it is not "hat nice, pretty girl in the class whom you couldn't find too much fault with even though deep down you were a bit jealous of how nice she was", rather she is that needy girl who likes to be on the verge of self-harm and who flings herself at people regardless of how inappropriate the match might be. It's what comes from having a culture that only started to develop in the past 50 years. Of course, I say this as a foreigner, so I have no doubt I will be souted down by pepople who know that I have no knowledge of this country or any right to say anything about it...

I also haven't seen the ad but I was thinking last night that this whole PC thing is even starting to grate with me (and I try to be PC for the most part). People offend others on a daily basis. That's because people are all different and have different values and perspectives, and I think that's a good thing. So I don't think you should be prevented using something in an ad just because it might offend someone. I think we're a bit too precious. We should just say, meh, imitation is a form of flattery after all, and get over it.

And lol at the Whale Rider comment.

It's simply a case of the NZRU tryign to protect their intellectual property in the all blacks. The ad is clearly trying to suggest an association with the all blacks, and they should pay for that. There is also the issue of intellectual property in the haka itself. In this case, its apparently a made-up haka but, again, it's clearly a ripp off. It doesn't sound like Ngati Toa are too happy, and I agree they should at least have be consulted.

Personally, I think it's pretty inoffensive.

Coke Zero should only ever be mixed with huge quantities of vodka.

Karlos, I think John Cleese did say something like that. Needless to say, he is no longer welcome in certain parts of NZ. I think there is a rubbish dump named after him somewhere.

I don't give a rats that some weird Japanese people want to quasi-haka. Lady Gaga could certainly use some poi action in her "art".

I like JGar, and I am all for sheroes but didn't see Elektra - you could tell it was going to be mega-crap from the advertising.

Oh my goodness I lauged right out loud at your description of that ad, thanks Moata, that was hilarious. Esp 'Japanese chapter of the Patea Maori Club'! LOL :)

Davo's right, it wasnt the RFUs haka in the first place! But I think that if you're going to copy something, you gotta try and do it well! Otherwise it just looks a little sad.

I hadn't bothered to watch it before this. Is someone seriously taking offence at this? It's not even a Haka. There's no ridicule or anything offensive about it.

Quit yer snivling. The advert is emulating the All Blacks, not your precious culture.

I'm Swiss. We endure jokes about yodelling, neutrality, goats, cowbells, Heidi, lederhosen, cheese and clocks on a daily basis. If someone wants to dress up like the swiss bob sled team and jump about, yodelling with pretty girls then I'm all in favour.