The Mission

The Mission (1983)

Genres - Drama, Thriller  |   Sub-Genres - Political Thriller  |   Run Time - 108 min.  |   Countries - Germany, United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Eleanor Mannikka

Producer, writer, editor, director, and star Parviz Sayyad has fashioned a story about an Iranian political assassin who comes to know and like his target so much that his own ideology is brought into question. When Iranian Daoud Moslemi (Sayyad) is given the assignment of killing off a political enemy in the U.S. someone else beats him to it, and so he is given another target instead, a former army colonel. But while tracking this man, Daoud inadvertently is on the scene when the former officer is mugged and is forced to help him -- a gesture that gets him an invitation to come to dinner. Once at the ex-colonel's home, Daoud meets his two children and his really attractive sister-in-law -- and after spending some time with these people, the reasons for the assassination start to dissolve in the face of their kindness and humanity. The erstwhile assassin's dilemma is what he should do about this new conflict between his feelings, his old beliefs, and the dangerous men who are his superiors. The story itself -- although filled with a little more political dialogue than would suit some viewers -- outpaces the technical side of the film, limited because of budget restrictions.

Characteristics

Keywords

army, assassination, assignment, assimilation, city, colonel, conflict, crisis, crisis-of-conscience, cross-cultural-relations, cultural-shock, culture [social culture], enemy, family, friendship, government, gratitude, hitman, Iran, killing, love, mission [quest], mugging, politician, rescue, target [object of attack], television, victim, wife