The Convert
Short description
Set in 1830s New Zealand, The Convert follows Thomas Munro, a former soldier who becomes a lay preacher to escape a violent past. While arriving to minister to early British settlers, he is drawn into a bloody conflict between warring Maori tribes. Alongside Rangimai, the daughter of a powerful chief named Maianui, Munro travels into forbidden lands to negotiate with Maori leaders. As he becomes a pawn in a larger struggle for power and survival, his faith is tested and his history is challenged.
Directed by Lee Tamahori, this action-drama is the ninth film in his career, following works such as Once Were Warriors and Die Another Day. The screenplay was written by Tamahori and Shane Danielsen. The film stars Guy Pearce as Thomas Munro, with Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Antonio Te Maioha, and Jacqueline McKenzie in supporting roles.
The movie received a moderate response from viewers and professionals. On IMDb, it holds a rating of 6.4/10 based on 6,600 votes, while on TMDB it has a 6.2/10 rating from 193 votes. Film critics provided a slightly higher score of 6.6/10 across 47 reviews.
What's left behind the scenes
- Director and screenwriter Lee Tamahori stated in an interview that films rarely show realistic fights (with the 2020 series 'Dead Lands' being an exception in his opinion). Tamahori emphasized the importance of authenticity in action scenes and stated that he enlisted the services of genuine Maori hand-to-hand combat experts using fighting sticks and a weapon called a taiaha (a traditional Maori close combat weapon made of wood and whalebone). Tamahori refused to draw parallels between his films and the 'Bond' films, where such scenes are shown in slow motion and processed during post-production. He always strives to show the ruthless and fleeting nature of hand-to-hand combat as it actually is, without embellishment.
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