THE MISSION (1986) - Movie Review

Director: Roland Joffé
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Aidan Quinn, Ray McAnally, Liam Neeson, Chuck Low, Ronald Pickup, Cherie Lunghi
Genre: History, Drama, Adventure
Writer: Robert Bolt
Runtime: 125 min
Rated: PG
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

The Mission is a powerful action epic about a man of the sword (Robert DeNiro) and a man of the cloth (Jeremy Irons) who unite to shield a South American Indian tribe from brutal subjugation by 18th-century colonial empires.

Review:

Inspired by a true story, "The Mission" is at once a religious film, dealing with concepts like faith, repentance, and redemption, as well as an exploration of what religion means in a world governed by politics and greed. It's by no means an indictment of organized religion, but it does leave you wondering whether or not such an institution can be anything more than just another political instrument used to subdue the masses and fulfil ambitions of power, or if it has any right to speak in the name of God.

The film's protagonists are Robert De Niro's Rodrigo Mendoza, a former mercenary seeking redemption, and Jeremy Irons' Father Gabriel, a Jesuit priest fully committed to save Mendoza's soul, and safeguard the Guaraní, a South American Indian tribe threatened by Portugal and Spain's colonial ambitions. Both men would die to protect the mission they helped build, but each according to his own convictions, which is what drives the movie's emotional core. A duel between faith and pragmatism ensues as both men struggle to hold on to their humanity. Father Gabriel utters one of the movie's best lines: " If might is right, then love has no place in the world. It may be so. But I don't have the strength to live in a world like that", which very much sums up what the movie is all about.

The movie was showered with praise, winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and earning seven Oscar nominations including Best Picture. Chris Menges deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography for the stunningly beautiful images he captured that can only be described as "Heaven on Earth". Ennio Morricone's emotional powerhouse score was also nominated, but failed to win against Herbie Hancock's jazz-based soundtrack for "Round Midnight", which was not even an original score in its entirety. I still say Morricone's music for "The Mission" is one of the greatest scores ever written, and should have won that Oscar.

It's also surprising to me that both De Niro and Irons were largely ignored during the 1987 awards season. They both do fantastic work as their characters embark on a journey of spirituality together and forge a friendship of the purest kind. Which makes it all the more heartbreaking when the harsh realities of the world drive a wedge between them and force them on different paths. I think both deserved more recognition that year.

Roland Joffé brings an almost otherworldly lyrical beauty to this movie, but it's not without its problems. Narratively it loses its footing a few times, but it's easy to look past a few rough edges thanks to the passionate filmmaking that permeates every frame. Whether you're a cinephile or not, "The Mission" is an epic movie experience that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

SCORE: 9/10