Kiwi stars Cliff Curtis and Jay Ryan talk new action-thriller 'Muru' with Jono and Ben

Based on the real-life events of the 2007 Tūhoe raids, the intense new New Zealand-made movie Muru is set to "thrill" according to the film’s stars.

Kiwi acting icon Cliff Curtis (Once Were Warriors, Whale Rider, Fear the Walking Dead, and the upcoming Avatar sequel) who stars as Police Sergeant ‘Taffy’ Tāwharau and New Zealand star Jay Ryan (Go Girls, Beauty and the Beast and It Chapter Two) to portrays SIS agent Gallagher told Jono and Ben that while the nature of the film may be “prickly" for some the action and heart behind this project make it a must-watch.

"We are dealing with complex issues around the story," Cliff told Jono and Ben. "We all do things that we can't see the unintended consequences that have impacts on others. It's about taking responsibility."

"So it's a very prickly story in that regard, so you have to take extra care, but you also, we're not making a documentary. We're making a movie.

"We want people to go to the cinema, get their ticket, sit down and watch a great movie. It's a thriller. It's an action movie."

"Everyone gets stuck in it on New Zealand feature films," Jay added about the making of the flick. “We don't have the big budgets [that they do in the US], but we've got all the heart and soul. 

"Particularly this film was an incredible experience. All of the community of Tūhoe were involved".

Not only did they have the community’s help, but they also had the help of activist Tame Iti - who was actually in Tūhoe in 2007 - to portray himself in the movie.

Cliff and Jay also touched on how they each had to prepare for Muru.

For Cliff, it involved getting a licence to drive a bus and for Jay, it was getting into the headspace (and body) of an SIS agent.

Listen above to their full interview with Jono and Ben and watch Muru, which hits cinemas today, September 1.