The story behind this documentary is fascinating.
Several missionaries travel to eastern Ecuador in the 1950s and make contact with the Waodani, a Stone Age tribe.
Five of the missionaries – all men – are brutally murdered by the Waodani.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/qBF-AQe7lzk" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]What happens next is fairly unbelievable: the wives and children of the slain missionaries join the natives and, over time, steer them toward a culture of peace and tolerance. The tribe, with its previous propensity for violence and vendetta, was shrinking rapidly as a result.
Some of the movie drags on, especially the testimonies of people who knew the murdered missionaries. While they may make the victims more human by telling of their sense of humor or other attributes, they do nothing to move the film along.
The film’s score is also distracting. It invades scenes and in some cases draws attention away from the story. If the audience notices the score, that usually means it is wrongly used.
One very interesting part shows one of the Waodani traveling to the United States and experiencing life there. His take on things like airports and supermarkets is as funny as it is revealing.
More of that would have boosted the movie but it is unfortunately short and appears to be almost an afterthought.
Despite its flaws, this film is a testament to human beings’ ability to forgive and change.
“Beyond the Gates of Splendor,” which is rated PG-13, is available for rent.
Murphy can be reached at: [email protected]
