The Mission (1986)

Directed by Roland Joffé. Starring Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Ray McAnally, Chuck Low, Ronald Pickup, Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Cherie Lunghi. [PG]

Roland Joffé’s sophomore effort, following his acclaimed The Killing Fields, was shot on sumptuous mountain/forest locations with atmosphere to spare, features a pair of top-notch actors as headliners, and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, but the undertaking is missing a little something called a story (a clear and/or compelling one, at any rate). In 18th-century South America, De Niro is a mercenary who kidnaps natives for plantation slave work and Irons is a Jesuit missionary trying to bring Christianity to the indigenous people; their paths intertwine, but are no match for the Spanish and Portuguese forces conquering and colonizing the land. A powerful vision to start with, and there’s no shortage of spectacular scenery, while Ennio Morricone’s music is gorgeously evocative enough to bring tears to one’s eyes, but these lush, vibrant qualities don’t extend to the characters, and most viewers will feel discouraged from attempting emotional investment in their lives or their conflicts (a preachy, labored script with an obvious outcome doesn’t help). Chris Menges’ photography won an Academy Award. The voice of the governor/plantation owner played by Low was dubbed by Fred Melamed.

47/100