He advises Maianui however to raise the rent the people of Epworth pay to his tribe, instead of taking any punitive action against the settlers; he then teaches the Māori warriors a faster way of loading a flintlock musket.

In the tribe's wharenui at a gathering of the elders, Munro tells them about his past as a soldier in the British Army, a charge which he led against what was believed to be an enemy stronghold which turned into a massacre of innocent women and children in a school, and about his subsequent spiritual quest for redemption for his actions.

Four years later, Munro, with a tā moko on his face, acts as a counsellor to the combined Māori tribe in their negotiations with a British delegation seeking to establish a Customs & Excise post at Epworth.

[15] The Post's Graeme Tuckett gave The Convert a mixed review, praising the film's screenplay, cinematography and the performances of the cast members, but finding the middle part of the story to be "muddled and unnecessary.

"[16] The Spinoff's Tommy de Silva gave a sympathetic review, praising the film for its acting, well-choreographed fight scenes, integration of the Māori language and authentic depiction of 1830s New Zealand society.

Although criticising some minor historical inaccuracies around the depictions of Wharenui (Māori communal meeting houses) and stereotypical portrayal of Māori characters as violent, vengeful cannibals and Pakeha characters as "greedy, money-obsessed and power-hungry", he summarised his review of the film: "It may not be perfect, but it’s worth a watch... Capturing a chapter from [New Zealand's] past rarely before seen in local popular culture makes The Convert a must-see for both period-piece purists and New Zealand history nerds alike.