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Poster for The Mission

The Mission

Seen it?

1986 | 125 min | Adventure, Drama, Action, History

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It won an Oscar and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite a box office loss. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for action fans and history buffs. If you loved Black Panther or The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, start here.
The mood
Exciting.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 5 min.
What might put you off
Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.

When a Spanish Jesuit goes into the South American wilderness to build a mission in the hope of converting the Indians of the region, a slave hunter is converted and joins his mission. When Spain sells the colony to Portugal, they are forced to defend all they have built against the Portuguese aggressors.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsSolid

    66% on Rotten Tomatoes, 55 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesSolid

    7.4 out of 10

  • AwardsVery strong

    Won 1 Oscar: Best Cinematography. Won 1 Cannes award: Palme d'Or. Also nominated for 6 more Oscars. Plus 1 other award.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $17 million worldwide on a $25 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 341K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Roland Joffé

  • Robert De NiroRodrigo Mendoza
  • Jeremy IronsFather Gabriel
  • Ray McAnallyCardinal Altamirano
  • Aidan QuinnFelipe Mendoza
  • Liam NeesonFather John Fielding
  • Cherie LunghiCarlotta
  • Ronald PickupHontar
  • Chuck LowDon Cabeza
  • Bercelio MoyaIndian Boy
  • Sigifredo IsmareWitch Doctor