The Mission - Extraordinary !

Rating: 9/10 (25 December 2006)

"The Mission" is an indispensable work for everyone who love the committed Cinema, moving scenes and action. The Spanish director Roland Joffé crafts a movie (after the book) narrow with both the novel and the history as it's known.
The first part is a quick evolution of the facts, through a Jesuits' conversion mission in southern America. When it was a mere religion affair the Spanish ministers of the Kingdom didn't interfere with their influence; but when "the mission" became a village with his own profit, the greed and the arrogance started flaring up.
The most touching part is the second one, where the war, its madness (even in the name of God, again!!), its foolish utilities, shows what a few band of men can generate.
I was amazed by 1) the scene where the little girl watches terrified the carnage of her people, unable to understand, to figure out the reasons; 2) the final scene, the procession. It had to end like that but the tardy regret of the minister is a heavy punch in the stomach.
While I found Irons' acting very convincing (like always), I disliked the De Niro role, either for his character, ambiguous, unpleasant, or for his acting skills, this time below the average (I think).
Ennio Morricone's soundtrack is marvelous as always, but this time he really deserved the Oscar, assigned instead to the stunning cinematography.
A story about the consequences of erroneously choices, for which a war was supposed to be the remedy.