In The Mission , five mobsters with different backgrounds are called together for a special assignment. This is a continuation of his experiment in the past two years, showing off his high-handed mastery of film language through a determination to breakthrough genre constraints. Every thing is kept unsaid, yet all is clearly understood. To unfolds his plot in ways that only a man with supreme confidence about himself dare to employ. Much of the story is implied, such as the tight surveillance the mob boss keeps over the men.
Important developments take place off screen, such as the affair with the boss's wife.
Some details are understood, for instance the conflict between Anthony Wong and Francis Ng. Others are conveyed through projection, like the secret of the bullet. The elliptical nature of the narrative is a far cry from the obviousness of Hong Kong films or even Hollywood films. It re-posits the power of cinema to tell stories with images and also displays a trust of the audience's ability to understand as well as demanding from them a certain level of appreciation. The Mission is therefore infused with a feeling never before felt in films.