PLOT: When a preacher arrives at a British settlement in 1830s New Zealand his violent past is drawn into question and his faith put to the test as he finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Māori tribes.
REVIEW: When many of us picture Maori culture, the first film that comes to mind is usually Once Were Warriors. Director Lee Tamahori‘s contemporary 1994 drama looked at the modern legacy of the Maori people. After decades of Hollywood fare, including Mulholland Falls, The Edge, XXX: State of the Union, and the James Bond film Die Another Day, Tamahori returns to the subject of his feature debut but through a very different lens. The Convert is an epic yet intimate look at Maori culture in the early 19th Century, just as the British Empire expanded its colonialization. Told through the experiences of a preacher welcomed into tribal society, The Convert is a beautiful and violent film that offers a unique look at the practices of the indigenous people of New Zealand.
The Convert opens in 1830 as Minister Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce) arrives via ship in New Zealand during a massive storm. Hailing from England, Munro is immediately introduced to the Maori people via a violent battle between two tribes and steps in on behalf of a young woman, Rangimai (Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne). While the warriors of Akatarewa (Lawrence Makoare) spare her life, Rangimai’s father, Maianui (Antonio Te Maioha), requests that Munro serve as her tutor in English and the ways of the Christians. Munro accepts the honor even though the people of the British settlement of Epworth are not fond of having any natives in their encampment. At first, Munro orients himself to the isolated ways of the British colonialists but quickly realizes that he shares more in common with the native people.
Munro’s backstory as a soldier and the event that still haunts him is revealed as the film proceeds. Wanting never to repeat those actions, he tries to negotiate peace between the warring tribes. Alongside Charlotte (Jacqueline McKenzie), an Englishwoman from Epworth, Munro becomes a focal point in the escalating tensions. The Convert at first seems to be named after the potential confession of Rangimai to Christianity but transforms into Munro’s conversion to the Maori culture. It is a fascinating tale showcasing Maori life in a way few films have chronicled. While the dialogue is delivered in both English and Maori, the adherence to cultural accuracy is impressive and rivals similar films like The Last of the Mohicans and The Last Samurai. But, where both of those films were saddled with a “white savior” label, The Convert does not put Munro in a position to rescue the Maori from themselves.
Guy Pearce has made many period films in his career, including the acclaimed Australian film The Proposition, along with numerous roles as heroes, villains, and monsters, both human and non. Over the last few years, Pearce has had diverse roles, including the recent festival hit The Brutalist and David Cronenberg’s The Shrouds. In The Convert, Pearce offers one of his more subdued performances as Munro exists more as an avatar for the English-speaking world to enter the culture of the Maori people. Most of the English-speaking characters in this film are either privateers looking to make money off of the indigenous people, hateful and racist settlers, or oppressors from England who seek to subjugate those viewed as weaker. Pearce plays Munro as an open-minded man whose faith has waivered but finds an invigorating new perspective amongst the Maori. This is not an in-your-face performance, but it is nonetheless powerful.
Based on the novel Wulf by Hamish Clayton, The Convert was co-written by director Lee Tamahori who himself is half-Maori. Tamahori and co-writer Shane Danielsen imbue the screenplay with authenticity and a cast of Maori performers who utilize the cultural expertise of consultant Ngamaru Raerino in making this feel as realistic as a fictional tale could be. The Maori are brutal warriors but never in a monstrous way. As tribal sects at war, brutality is a way of life, but there is also beauty in the cultural beliefs and practices, which culminates in a battle sequence that differs from how such scenes would unfold in a Western film. That being said, The Convert does lag a bit in the middle after a strong opening. It eventually leads to a masterful final act, but the hour or so in the middle of the film loses momentum. Even with the cinematography of Gin Loane and a solid score by composer Matteo Zingales, The Convert starts fast and ends fast with a bit of a slow patch in between.
The Convert is a unique glimpse into the cultural history of the Maori people, too often overlooked in cinematic productions. Western audiences have seen epics like this for other cultures, but rarely with such a mix of reverence and honesty regarding the elegance of their ways and the violence of their struggles. Guy Pearce is the rare actor who is at once perfectly at home in a role like this and yet still under-used. Even though there are some slow parts in the middle of this movie, I recommend checking out The Convert to learn more about a side of history you don’t typically see on the big screen.
The Convert is available on digital beginning October 14th.