The Convert

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The Convert

Released Jul 12, 2024

1h 59m

Drama

Action

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Popcornmeter

83%

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46 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

New Zealand in the 1830s is a largely Māori world, dominated by tribal wars. Seeking redemption from a dark past, lay preacher Thomas Munro (GUY PEARCE) is on board a trading vessel heading to the newly established town of Epworth, a British settlement at the far corner of the world. When the ship anchors on the rugged coast of New Zealand, Munro finds himself caught up in a battle between Māori tribes and witnesses a slaughter of innocents at the hands of chief Akatarawa. Munro manages to save the life of Rangimai -- the daughter of Maianui, a rival chief whose land Epworth leases in a delicate arrangement. As Munro begins to experience the white townsfolk's entrenched racism and paranoia towards the Māori, he finds himself increasingly ostracized within the community he is meant to serve and realizes he has been brought to this isolated British outpost merely to add the veneer of civilization. When one of Maianui's men is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Munro and Rangimai take a dangerous journey into the prohibited lands ruled by Māori warlords, in the hope of repairing the injustice. However, Munro soon realizes he is a pawn in a strategic play of power, and with bloody war between the two dominant tribes now inevitable, he must decide what role he will play and whether his faith is real, or of any value.

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Critics Consensus

A crunchy action-adventure with insights into imperialism, The Convert is a bloody return to form for Kiwi director Lee Tamahori.

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Monica Castillo

RogerEbert.com

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

Rated: 3/4

Jul 21, 2024

Full Review

Christian Zilko

IndieWire

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.

Rated: B+

Jul 12, 2024

Full Review

Frank Scheck

The Hollywood Reporter

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.

Jul 12, 2024

Full Review

Tynan Yanaga

Film Inquiry

It’s a pity The Convert can’t give us a bit more to grapple with, but it does feel like an entry point into a greater appreciation of the Māori people’s history.

Apr 4, 2025

Full Review

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

Historical drama about the violent interactions of white colonialists and competing Maori tribes in New Zealand.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 9, 2025

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David Parkinson

Radio Times

The combination of script issues and Pearce's mannered inscrutability means this intense, yet sometimes ponderous Last of the Mohicans-like saga is less compelling than it might have been.

Rated: 2/5

Dec 21, 2024

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Stephen C

Failure in 1 hour and 59 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The cast and crew could have been better.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

06/05/25

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Jelisije J

A realistic story of a preacher trying to bring peace between two tribes in 1800 New Zealand.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

04/03/25

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Jeffrey P

I watched this as the second half of a double feature with Conclave, what this had in the first 15 minutes that Conclave did not - dark haired tribal Maori woman in a loin cloth. It was a bit of a slow burner and did spend more time on a boat than I’d have liked, but once over that there is plenty of character development and conflict in a multitude of areas. Plus, there are a lot of very sharp landscape shots that you don’t see every day. The story is sound and original with no holes worth talking about, and it just keeps adding layer upon layer as it progresses. Then it goes in a bit of a different direction and hits a bit of a lull before applying the final layer.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

Full Review

Rachel C

I absolutely loved this.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/22/25

Full Review

Lou M

Great cinematography, good acting, and lovely to learn a little more about our neighbours in New Zealand.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

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Oscar S

The story quickly devolves into a predictable narrative. Westerners are depicted almost exclusively as toxic, brutish colonizers, while the Māori are elevated to the “noble savage” archetype—a depiction that, while well-meaning, often oversimplifies their culture. The female Māori characters defy historical norms by fighting alongside men and rejecting the traditional roles of property or subjugation. While empowering in concept, this portrayal feels more like an attempt to modernize history than an authentic representation of the era. The protagonist, despite being a preacher, never fully engages with or challenges the theological dilemmas that his faith might pose in such a setting. Instead, the film sidesteps Christianity altogether, leaving Munro’s journey spiritually hollow. By the end, his “conversion” seems less about reconciling belief systems and more about embracing Māori cultural symbols—culminating in the adoption of traditional face tattooing.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

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Lee Tamahori

Director

Guy Pearce

Thomas Munro

Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne

Rangimai

Antonio Te Maioha

Actor

Jacqueline McKenzie

Actor

Lawrence Makoare

Actor

Muru

92%

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Muru

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Rebel Ridge

95%

73%

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Hierarchy

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Bindaas

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Synopsis

New Zealand in the 1830s is a largely Māori world, dominated by tribal wars. Seeking redemption from a dark past, lay preacher Thomas Munro (GUY PEARCE) is on board a trading vessel heading to the newly established town of Epworth, a British settlement at the far corner of the world. When the ship anchors on the rugged coast of New Zealand, Munro finds himself caught up in a battle between Māori tribes and witnesses a slaughter of innocents at the hands of chief Akatarawa. Munro manages to save the life of Rangimai -- the daughter of Maianui, a rival chief whose land Epworth leases in a delicate arrangement. As Munro begins to experience the white townsfolk's entrenched racism and paranoia towards the Māori, he finds himself increasingly ostracized within the community he is meant to serve and realizes he has been brought to this isolated British outpost merely to add the veneer of civilization. When one of Maianui's men is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Munro and Rangimai take a dangerous journey into the prohibited lands ruled by Māori warlords, in the hope of repairing the injustice. However, Munro soon realizes he is a pawn in a strategic play of power, and with bloody war between the two dominant tribes now inevitable, he must decide what role he will play and whether his faith is real, or of any value.

Director: Lee Tamahori
Producer: Troy Lum, Robin Scholes, Andrew Mason, Te Kohe Tuhaka
Screenwriter: Shane Danielsen, Lee Tamahori
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: New Zealand Premium Production Fund, New Zealand Film Commission, Brouhaha Entertainment, MBK Productions, Jump Film and Television
Genre: Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 12, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.3K
Runtime: 1h 59m

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