Film: The Mission

A reflection on the character 'Mendoza' from the movie; The Mission, played by Robert de Niro. 

Mendoza is introduced in the movie as a slave trader in pursuit of the Indians who have escaped being caught by him. Hiding behind the bushes in the jungle he sees Fr. Gabriel and exchanges a few words of displeasure that both are obstructing with each other’s ‘mission’. We later see him parading his ‘catch’ as he goes into the city proudly on his horse. After collecting his earnings and spending time with his brother, he comes to find out of the love affair his brother has with the woman who he has feelings for. When a fight broke out with his brother, to save his pride he kills his own bother. Guilt then takes over him and after the visit by Fr. Gabriel, as an act of penance for his sin against his brother he gathers all his armor in a net and carries it with him on his shoulder and with barefoot climb the cruel rocks up the falls with Fr. Gabriel and his companions on their service to the Indians.   

I was very touched during the scene when the Indians who recognized him as the slave trader sets him ‘free’ from his ‘burden’. But this is not done before all the difficulty and pressure he has to go through climbing up the rocks. A very good symbolism is used here in this part of the movie. The ‘burden’ is his past, that is, his profession as a slave trader, his sins and his guilt. Even though the ‘burden’ was cut by a priest companion earlier during the climb, Mendoza still felt not forgiven and when down to take upon him again the ‘burden’. But only after being ‘set free’ by the very people whom he has threaten and hurt so much did he feel forgiven. His tears was pouring out as his past is poured out and now it changes into the tears of joy especially seen in the movie after being hugged by Fr. Gabriel and affirmed by the Indians who were actually laughing at him. Maybe in their mind, they were thinking; “Look at this man whom we thought was so cruel and fierce, he can cry too, he is a mere human like any of us” and they accept him in his community. I assume Mendoza might have been a Christian all his life and now he learns the meaning of true forgiveness from the recently converted Indians.

Mendoza getting involved with the daily life of the Indians eventually feels that it is his mission to be a member of a Jesuit and to continue to serve the Indians. He shows his commitment until the very end of his life by defending the Indians and their village. I believe the questions that he might have especially at the end of his life is why didn’t the church do more to help the situation? Why did the church give in to the politics? Did his mission and vows do any good for the Indians? I guess he died knowing that the Indians were actually worth ‘saving’ and helping for. This is because of the last gaze he had was seeing the martyrdom of the people in defend of their new believe and faith as they went out in a procession while being shot at.