The mission

Is religious missionary work an act of altruism or arrogance? Does it represent a quest for the fulfillment of one's spiritual potential or a euphemistic cover for an inflated sociopathic ego? And, in either case, is it even possible to distinguish the two? Those are legitimate questions in the case of 26-year-old fundamentalist Christian missionary John Chau, who disappeared and was presumed dead in 2018 while attempting to spread the word of Jesus to the reclusive indigenous residents of North Sentinel Island, an Indian protectorate in the Bay of Bengal. The locale, one of the world's most difficult destinations to reach and one that's strictly off limits to outsiders, is home to an obscure, little-known tribe with a reputation for being mistrusting of and unwelcoming to strangers. Yet Chau was convinced that it was his destiny to convert them to Christianity no matter what, even at the cost of his life, a concern that worried his family, friends and seasoned missionaries who had attempted comparable initiatives with native people in other parts of the world. It was an effort that raised questions about Chau's motivations: Was he a committed religious zealot who truly wanted to spread the word of Christ, or was he suffering from a maniacal Messiah Complex hell-bent on testing the limits of his courage, hubris and personal capabilities? Directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss seek to answer these and other thorny questions about this enigmatic individual whose real intents may never really be known, leaving lingering doubts and pain about his mission in the minds of those who knew him. Thanks to unprecedented access to Chau's kindreds, as well as his recovered diaries, the filmmakers tell a captivating tale about his experience, along with thought-provoking ethical examinations about the nature and propriety of missionary work in connection with indigenous societies. Should it continue? Is it appropriate for Westerners and devout Christians to interfere in the spiritual lives of those who adhere to alternate viewpoints? Indeed, are these people genuinely in need of being "fixed," regardless of the alleged nobility behind the intentions of those seeking to carry out these transformations? "The Mission" offers viewers a delicately balanced view of these notions, prompting even the most dedicated disciples of this work to step back and take a new look at what they and their peers are carrying out. It also presents an eye-opening discussion of this subject, encouraging us to ask ourselves, how much is too much when it comes to missionary work, regardless of the religion involved? And when is it appropriate to leave things as they are for those who already appear to be happy and contented in their lives and beliefs? There's a lot on the line in this Critics Choice Documentary Award nominee, and, in light of the nature of its story, that's something we must never lose sight of.

The problem with missionary religious groups is that they are raised in a belief system of absolutes.

Pushing a fantasy on new generations that one "must" convert the globe to their way of thinking never takes into account the opinion of those they're trying to convert.

I don't come away from watching this documentary thinking of John Chau as a sympathetic figure in any way, shape or form. He is just another statistic in a long and - unfortunately - unbroken chain of the imperially arrogant devout who feels that their message is the only one worth heeding. A truly elevated and civilized human being doesn't think that way.

It's really a story that we all know about.

But the real question is how it's told.

The storytelling, for me, was pretty average. I like the live-action bit, but it did not blow my mind for sure. I wish the interviews had more depth. I like that they tried to humanise Chau - a brilliant but dumb kid who wants to "save" the world from Hell and pave the way for Jesus' return. However, his dad's mournful letter cannot be the sole reason for me to empathise with Chau. I wish the filmmakers tried digging deeper into his life.

Also, how can you give TN Pandit such little screen time? And how can you miss the incredible Madhumala Chattopadhyay in this documentary that revolves around North Sentinel? Wish it was extensively researched and showed the Indian perspective.

The podcast Behind the B has an incredible series on this event and the history of colonialist and neighboring people involving themselves with the very unwilling North Sentinelese people that was very informative and interesting and made it very clear that these people want to be left alone and reinforcing that what Chau did was reckless, stupid, arrogant and selfish. I highly recommend the podcast if you want to actually learn about what happened, including what John did in the lead up to going to the island that helped him rationalize his decision. This documentary is borderline harmful in glorifying this man and treating him like a dreamer with a calling instead of a selfish moron while making the people he endangered take a back seat to this wannabe colonialist.

As "The Mission" (2023 release; 103 min) opens, we are introduced to John Chau, an evangelican Christian who is hellbent on doing missionary, the further away and more isolated, the better. Through something called "Unreached People", he sets his sights on the 200 or so resident on the North Sentinel Island, one of the most isolated spots on earth (in the Bay of Bengal)...

Couple of comments: this is the second documentary from co-directors (and real life husband and wife) Jesse Moss and Amanda McBain ("Boys State"). Here they reassess the life and times of John Chau, the evangelican Christian whose mission went horribly wrong. Of course it raises the issue of the assumed superiority by (almost always white) people who are determined to show the rest of the world how it's done and how to live a proper and meaningful life. The thought that maybe, just maybe, this is just insanely arrogant, if not worse, doesn't even enter their universe. All of these themes were also examined in another documentary from earlier this year called "Savior Complex", and frankly better than in "The Mission". (As a complete aside, please do not confuse this documentary with the 1986 movie of the same name starring Robert de Niro. They are completely unrelated projects.)

"The Mission" premiered at the Telluride film festival some months back and it is now streaming on Hulu. If you are curious about the moral pros and cons of religious missionary work by white people across the globe, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.