Religion sure is a touchy subject, isn't it? It can mean plenty of things to plenty of people. Some regard it as a reason to live; others, a reason to die. Some spend their lives spreading a message to those who'll listen; others, trying to steer people far away from it. Christianity may be the first religion that springs to mind---at least in the Western World, that is---but it's only one branch in the tree. I'm not at liberty to turn this review into a personal platform for my own values, so I'll just say this: whether you believe any and all religion to be a benefit or a hindrance to the human race, it's an important part of many people's lives.

In the world of Christianity (though not exclusively), missions work plays a very important role. For those unfamiliar with the term, it's the act of living either temporarily of permanently in an unfamiliar environment---whether it's across the state or across the world---with a complete and total focus on spreading the word of God. Exactly how one does this will depend on the actual person, of course. Maybe it's through direct testimonials with the locals. Maybe it's through a slightly more passive approach, such as simply leading by example. Either way, it's different means to the same proposed end.

This act is rarely simple for both parties: not only does it usually take the missionary out of his or her comfort zone, the efforts of said missionary are not always met with open arms. More often than not, those that refuse this evangelism will do so with a simple "no thanks" or a cold shoulder---fair enough, especially since they might not have been asking for help in the first place. Sometimes, others may react more strongly. In the most extreme cases, missionaries run the risk of bring hurt or killed. These are just a few reasons that people of faith look up to those who perform missions work: in this day and age, it takes guts to venture out and preach what others may not want to hear.

Jim Hanon's Beyond the Gates of Splendor (2005) is one such account of peaceful missions work that led to violence and death. This documentary centers around five American missionaries (Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Nate Saint, Ed McCully and Pete Fleming) slaughtered by members of the Waodani people of Ecuador in 1956, whose story was first brought to national attention in the pages of Life magazine nearly fifty years ago. Rachel Saint (Nate's sister) was one of those who, despite the warnings of many, chose to continue the peaceful missions work among the Waodani people. Another was Elisabeth Elliot, widow of Jim and author of Through Gates of Splendor, upon which this film was based. Yet another dedicated missionary was Nate's son, Steve, who provides the narration.

Skillfully shot and assembled, Beyond the Gates gives a generally unbiased and thorough account of life with those who murdered friends and family members. The sense of scope is also another highlight, as the transformation of the native people through the years provides a sense of purpose to the efforts of those who stayed behind. There's a wealth of photos and amateur video shot on location---as well as modern footage, including interviews with members of the Waodani people---which help round out a solid documentary that wouldn't be as engaging in any other format.

If Beyond the Gates of Splendor has one main fault---outside of some uneven pacing, especially near the beginning---it's that it seems unsure of who its message is aimed at. The core values are undoubtedtly Christian, yet the participants seem reluctant to mention God or Jesus by name. This may be due to the film's passive but thoughtful core, but it seems strange given the subject matter and suspicious in today's heightened state of political correctness. This isn't as much of a problem on the Abridged Version present on Side B---which freely quotes scripture in-between chapters and elsewhere---though the film's running time has been cut nearly in half (NOTE: This version is most likely for religious courses or missionary use, but there's no clear explanation on the disc). In any case, the documentary is presented on DVD courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment (!), though the total package isn't quite as memorable as the film itself. Let's take a closer look, shall we?

The sound, of course, is an improvement. The atmosphere of the documentary is strong, offering clear dialogue and music that doesn't fight for attention. This 5.1 Surround Sound presentation is one of the better mixes I've heard in the genre, though a 2.0 mix would have been helpful for those without the benefit of 5.1. Thankfully, optional English subtitles are also included here.

The main menus (above) are basic but serviceable, offering a clean layout and simple navigation. The 95-minute full-length version is divided into 16 chapters, while no layer change was detected during playback. I can't comment any further, as the packaging was not available at the time of review.

It's not without a few minor faults, but I found Beyond the Gates of Splendor to be a very satisfying documentary about a very interesting topic. The story in question is provocative enough to keep viewers of any religion interested; even better, the final cut isn't as cloying or preachy as it could have been. Unfortunately, the DVD can't really hold up its end of the bargain: with a disappointing pan-and-scan transfer and a complete lack of bonus features, there's not much support for the film offered here. Long story short: Beyond the Gates of Splendor is certainly intriguing enough to warrant a closer look, but most everything else about this release pales in comparison. Rent It.