The Convert

The movie takes on a bittersweet note, bringing history to life in all its messy complexity - and the everyday players who shape it.

The Convert manages to combine an entertaining portrayal of an often ignored historical era with universal questions about whether it’s ever possible to build a human society on the foundation of something other than violence.

The Convert is uneven and doesn’t fully live up to its thematic ambitions. But it’s handsomely made and thankfully avoids falling victim to white savior syndrome.

The lush forests and stark, black sand beaches, shot in locations near those used in “The Piano,” help make “The Convert” more than a message movie.

Tamahori's film addresses how New Zealand's indigenous people were mistreated and exploited, but it's also an accomplished character study into the plight of three principles.

All of the time spent on Thomas Munro’s various campaigns for reconciliation and harmony between two Māori tribes hampers the film, which would have been better served had it expounded on the grander conflicts that it only superficially acknowledges.

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 probably won’t convert too many non-historians to the cause…but this handsome, serious-minded film should skew towards historians and political theorists alike…

From the costumes to the customs, the Antipodean western derives its power from its authentic recollection of a watershed moment in Maori culture.

Guy Pierce delivers a powerful role.