An Engrossing Visual Adventure

Rating: 5/10 (25 July 2005)

The Mission The Mission is the story of how Spanish Jesuits voyage to South America in the 18th Century in an attempt to spread Christianity to the native Indians who reside in the region. When there is transition from Spanish to Portuguese occupation however, the natives are legally treated as slaves and their status as Christians and indeed as human beings is effectively revoked. Robert De Niro plays a ruthless slave trader who becomes a priest after he is overcome by the guilt of his sins. Much of the film simultaneously documents his transition to the faith and these scenes are some of the most powerful in the film. Jeremy Irons plays Father Gabriel, head of the Spanish Jesuit order who is able to help both De Niro and the native Indians. The film also features the very young looking Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn. The Mission received an Oscar for Cinematography and with stunning visuals and a breathtaking display of the jungle it is not hard to see why. Ennio Morricone's score also received an Oscar nomination and various other awards (e.g. Golden Globe and BAFTA). Morricone's score will undoubtedly stand the test of time as one of the most powerful soundtracks to grace the big screen. It is powerful, emotive and poetic and almost warrants viewing the movie alone. Fans of movie soundtracks will not be disappointed. Overall performances are decent with De Niro again stealing the show. The Mission is a good example of De Niro delivering a powerful performance without having to make too much of a song and dance visually. He also illustrates the contrast between an angry and menacing individual in the early part of the movie to one that is more at peace with others in the latter part of the movie suggesting that anyone can achieve redemption. The Mission is quite an engrossing movie that is possibly drawn out for a little too long. The visual and audio feast is enough to warrant a viewing but it somehow feels like it lacks the hall marks of a true classic. Given the subject matter is not the most optimistic or uplifting film but this is necessary to give the film any sense of realism about human history and indeed what is happening today.