--- title: "The Mission: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-mission-1986/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-mission-1986" critics_score: 57 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Mission (1986): what the critics said Critics' score 57 from 7 reviews: 3 positive, 2 mixed, 2 negative. The reviews split almost evenly, with a slight lean towards approval, and they agree on what works before they disagree on whether it is enough. Nearly every critic singles out the Iguazu Falls and the opening image of the crucified missionary sent over the water; more than one says the location steals the film from its actors. Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro are praised for physical, largely wordless performances, and Variety finds Ray McAnally in the supporting cast the most enjoyable presence on screen. Joffé’s refusal to prettify the period is admired. The reservations cluster on the script. Several critics call the film lumpy or structureless, arguing that it states its points about church, state and money without dramatising them, and the climactic battle is described as botched or disorganised by more than one. The spread is wide: the Los Angeles Times finds it passionate and haunting, while Time Out, reviewing decades later, finds it curiously uninvolving and lacking exactly that passion. The later reviews are no warmer than the originals. ## Los Angeles Times — Sheila Benson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 November 1986. Benson praises the film as haunting spectacle that is serious and passionate, establishing Joffé as a great action director through his collaboration with the cinematographer and editor. She singles out the Iguazu Falls as the scene-stealers and Jeremy Irons' pure performance. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-11-14-ca-29420-story.html) ## The Guardian — Alex von Tunzelmann Rating B. 30 July 2009. The critic finds the film powerful and atmospheric, with a strongly political view of the conflict between church, state and capitalism. It is praised for its magnificent filming, accurate historical depiction of the destruction of South American native culture, and superbly recreated battle sequences, though noted as oddly structureless. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/jul/30/reel-history-the-mission-deniro) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic highlights the film's ambitious scope and the strong, physically expressive performances from Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in a thematically complex historical drama about faith, redemption and political upheaval. Joffé's restrained, un-prettified vision is noted as admirable though it may have contributed to the film's commercial underperformance. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/mission-review/) ## The New York Times — Vincent Canby Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 31 October 1986. Canby calls the film a singularly lumpy movie that states points without dramatizing them effectively. He singles out the riveting opening sequence with the crucified missionary at the Iguassu Falls as the film's most compelling moment. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/31/movies/screen-the-mission-with-deniro-and-irons.html) ## Variety Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. The review finds the script cardboard thin and the characters labeled rather than developed, though it notes some stunning scenes using the Iguazu falls to advantage. It singles out supporting performances like Ray McAnally's as the most enjoyable while criticizing the botched climactic battle. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1985/film/reviews/the-mission-1200426754/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 14 November 1986. Ebert finds the film visually striking but ultimately incoherent and lacking emotional pull, despite strong individual elements. He singles out the spectacular waterfall locations and opening image for praise while criticizing the disorganized narrative and battle scenes. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-mission-1986) ## Time Out — RR Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The film is magnificent in its epic scope and stunning Amazon setting but curiously uninvolving, lacking passion despite strong performances from De Niro and Irons and a brutal climax. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-mission-1) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-mission-1986.md