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Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Ray McAnally, Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn ... see more see more... , Ronald Pickup , Monirak Sisowath , Asuncion Ontiveros , Cherie Lunghi , Rev. Daniel Berrigan , Tony Lawn , Rafael Camerano , Maria Teresa Ripoll , Philip Bosco , Rolf Gray , Sigifredo Ismare , Alejandrino Moya , Bercelio Moya , Silvestre Chiripua , Joe Daly , Carlos Duplat , Luis Carlos Gonzalez , Alvaro Guerrero , Juliet Taylor , Susie Figgis , Chuck Low

Featuring a majestic score by Ennio Morricone and lush Oscar-winning cinematography by Chris Menges, Roland Joffé's The Mission examines the events surrounding the Treaty of Madrid in 1750, when Spain... read more read more... ceded part of South America to Portugal, and turns this episode into an allegory for the mid-'80s struggles of Latin America. Two European forces are on hand to win the South American natives over to imperialist ways. The plunderers want to extract riches and slaves from the New World. The missionaries, on the other hand, want to convert the Indians to Christianity and win over their souls. Mendoza (Robert De Niro) is an exploiter dabbling in the slave trade. But after he kills his brother Felipe (Aidan Quinn) in a fit of rage, he seeks redemption and calls upon the missionaries to assist him. After repeatedly climbing a cliff with a heavy weight as penance, Mendoza finds redemption and becomes a devout missionary at a settlement run by Gabriel (Jeremy Irons). The missionaries want to promote a new society in which the natives will live together in peace with the Spanish and the Portuguese. But this concept frightens the royal governors, who would rather enslave the natives than encourage peaceful coexistence between the Europeans and the Indians. They order the mission to be burned to the ground. But this event causes a rift between Gabriel, who wants to pray and pursue peaceful resistance, and Mendoza, who wants to take up arms and fight the Europeans. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

82% liked it

37,224 ratings

Critics

76% liked it

17 critics

PG, 2 hr. 6 min.

Directed by: Roland Joffé, Roland Joff

Release Date: October 31, 1986

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DVD Release Date: May 13, 2003

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Flixster Reviews (2,040)

  • cosmo313
    July 24, 2011
    cosmo313
    Based on actual events, this film, despite being a little erratic and flawed, is still a pretty good look at a fascinating subject.

    The story concerns a group of Jesuits working with the Guarani tribe in South America during the 1750s who get caught up in the socio-political ma... read morechinations of imperialism of the powers that be back in Europe. The leader of the order (Irons) is a pacifist who unwaveringly believes in love, peace, and the belief that his ways are best. Another, a convert into the order (De Niro) is a reformed sinner trying to right his wrongs. As a former mercenary and slave driver, he feels that violence is justified if it can be used to save what they had been working towards.

    The film works best as a big picture study versus a character piece. Besides the socio-political machinations, and the story of the Jesuits within this historical context, the big thmes of the film are of faith, suffering, and the human condition.

    There's a lot to really like (if not love) here, but there's also a lot that could have been far better. Ennio Morricone's score and Chris Menges's cinematography are both powerful and absolutely gorgeous. The attention to period detail, historical context, and authenticity of the casting of many Natives are also very strong and inspired.

    What's not so good are the way the individual character stories and character development are handled, as well as some of the inauthentic castings for the European characters. Despite some iffy casting choices, the performances are oddly interesting. I wanted some better development with the views of De Niro's and Irons's characters, as weel as some more convicing development of De Niro's character's motivations, but I still kinda dug what they were doing, regardless. It's also kinda neat to see Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn early on in their respective careers.

    As a Catholic (albeit slightly lapsed) myself, and someone who is really close to a histroian who wrote a book on the Jesuits, I should have really, really enjoyed, if not loved this film. I do like the way the Jesuits are handled, and am happy they put it into a historical context. I also liked that the film's conclusion, though a downer, is the way it is, and that it wasn't given the Hollywood treatment. However, I can't feel justified in giving this a higher score based on the issues i've elaborated one.

    Do I still like this film and recommend it? Oh yeah. It's some good stuff, even if it is rather odd, and all over the place at times. Perhaps if I watched it some more times I might find my current views in need of changing, but, as it is, this is just a really good film, instead of the great piece of art it could have been.
  • garyX
    February 16, 2011
    garyX
    An ex slave trader seeking penance after murdering his brother in a jealous rage joins a Jesuit mission in the South American jungle , but when the colonial interests of the outside world threaten their peaceful existence he takes up arms once more. It's impossible to put the exp... read moreerience of watching this film into words. It's so stunning to look at I had to double check the release date; I never thought something this beautiful could be made in 1986, the year of Falcon Crest, Top Gun and Slippery When Wet. The locations, the photography and Ennio Morricone's wonderful score come together to create a visual and aural work of art. This combined with typically fine performances from Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons in an intelligent story of the destructive influences of colonialism make this a film that was bound to scoop up a plethora of awards and understandably so. I perhaps didn't get as involved emotionally with the characters as much as the story deserved, but still it's a stunning cinematic experience in all other departments.
  • puffchunk
    October 16, 2009
    puffchunk
    Everyone love a tradgedy!
  • 76Majikat
    September 10, 2008
    76Majikat
    The Mission started out as quite a fascinating story, showing wonderous views and delving into the Native American culture. The story is one certainly worthy to tell, but have to confess that I lost interest around half way through the film.
  • ajaymuthecooldevils
    March 14, 2008
    ajaymuthecooldevils
    watch it in the Catholic subject... it was a boring movie...
  • RCCLBC
    March 13, 2008
    RCCLBC
    This film moved me to tears when I saw it in the theater.
    The cinematography if breath-taking, the acting is amazing and the music is sublime.
    To this day...I can not listen to the soundtrack (Thank you, Ennio Morricone) without getting goose bumps.
  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    February 8, 2008
    YLOWBSTARDreturns
    Underrated as hell. What ever happen to Roland Joffe?
  • FiLmCrAzY
    October 8, 2007
    FiLmCrAzY
    saw this it was ok it had a point to it i watched it in r.e but its ok
  • CloudStrife84
    August 17, 2007
    CloudStrife84
    Beautiful music and scenery, as well as some quite inspiring performances by Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons. Many scenes are with little or no dialogue, which works remarkably well, as there is a fine-tuned soothness in that silence. It allows you to take in the great views in a... read more much better way, which is rare in todays hyperspeeded movies. It's a shame that Liam Neeson has such a small role, because his acting skill could have been used more wisely. Here he mostly just walks around in the background with not enough lines to define his character. But these are petty complaints when put within the frame of this very captivating movie, that at many points bordered on being great. Too bad the ending was so sad though, but I suppose it wouldn't have been very realistic if things didn't turn out the way they did.
  • Beefy
    April 25, 2007
    Beefy
    Good movie, great score.

View All The Mission Reviews

Critic Reviews

John J. Puccio
December 14, 2010
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis

...a little too pious for its own good. Be that as it may, the movie's heart is in the right place. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
January 7, 2009
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Joffe's pseudo-epic about slave trading and missionaries in South America is attractive to look at but distorted and anachronistic. Full Review

Clint Morris
September 5, 2008
Clint Morris, Moviehole

A near-masterpiece. De Niro is excellent.

Steve Crum
February 17, 2008
Steve Crum, Video-Reviewmaster.com

Atmospheric, fascinating drama set in deep jungle with strong De Niro and Irons.

Nick Davis
May 2, 2004
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

Simultaneously slick and sloppy....For all of The Mission's back-to-nature trappings, it's actually a perfect film for the Reagan-and-Thatcher era that produced it. Full Review

Fred Topel
July 14, 2003
Fred Topel, About.com

Boring statement about the human condition. DeNiro's a bad guy. Deal with it. And missions are barbaric. Get over it.

Bob Bloom
December 19, 2002
Bob Bloom, Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

Long, ponderous, but De Niro and Irons always are interesting to watch.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
September 1, 2002
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

Deeply moving film that reminds us of the vitality of love, the miracle of grace, and the transforming power of acts of conscience. Full Review

James Berardinelli
June 30, 2009
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Click to read the article Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

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    • Altamirano: So, your Holiness, now your priests are dead, and I am left alive. But in truth it is I who am dead, and they who live. For as always, your Holiness, the spirit of the dead will survive in the memory of the living.
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The Mission Trivia

  • In the movie Jerry Maguire what does one guy whisper to the other while everyone is cheering Jerry for the mission stement he wrote?  Answer »
  • He starred in Top Gun, the Mission Impossible series, A Few Good Men, and Jerry McGuire. Who is he?  Answer »
  • Name the movie in which a bunch of malcontents, murderers, thieves, and convicts were chosen to take a special mission in WWII for their freedom.  Answer »
  • The line (WE are on a mission from god) comes from which movie?  Answer »
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