NEW YORK (OSV News) – With lush visuals and an intelligent script co-written by director Lee Tamahori and Shane Danielsen, the religiously-themed historical drama “The Convert” (Magnolia) has a lot going for it. The amount of bloodletting on display in the film, though, precludes endorsement for younger viewers and may even unsettle many grown-ups.
The character of the title is Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce), a lay Protestant missionary with a troubled past. As the action opens, the year is 1830 and Munro is enroute to New Zealand where he has been hired to serve the spiritual needs of a primitive British settlement called Epworth.
Upon arrival, Munro is immediately caught up in the seemingly endless warfare that rages among the indigenous tribes. As a result of his spontaneous intervention in one such struggle, he saves the life of Rangimai (Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne), a young captive, though he is unable to prevent the slaughter of her husband.
Taking Rangimai under his protection, Munro travels with her to Epworth where he finds that the savagery of the law-flouting colonists is at least equal to that of the vendetta-driven Maoris. As he strives to counter both forms of brutality, he gains the aid of Charlotte (Jacqueline McKenzie), an outcast from the white community whom he soon befriends and for whom he eventually falls.
As the story approaches its climax, peaceable Christian values are temporarily pushed into the background in favor of a spectacle-rich, morally justifiable battle against aggression. But they do ultimately make a successful comeback. This is in keeping with the screenplay’s portrayal of Munro as a rugged, worldly-wise figure whose faith is of a very practical kind.
As Munro upholds the dignity of native people, displays sympathy to outsiders (even one who’s uncompromisingly Catholic) and tries to put an end to a longstanding cycle of strife, believing movie fans will appreciate his non-preachy application of the Gospel to everyday life. To do so, however, they’ll have to cope with Tamahori’s unflinching depiction of graphic mayhem.
“The Convert” is streaming on several platforms, including Amazon Prime, Youtube, Apple TV, Google Play and Fandango at Home.
The film contains much gory violence, a few gruesome images, a nonmarital bedroom scene following an off-screen encounter, ethnographic rear male nudity, at least one mild oath and a couple of crass terms. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association.