filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Tyreece Hulme One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

fireworksat This movie was super weird... All I can say is whoever directed this was super conflicted with God lol, this is nowhere near what would happen to a group of missionaries. If you want to see a real representation of missionaries in a South American country, watch the movie "The End of the Spear", a true story about a group of missionaries in the 50's who saved an entire tribe and continues today.

Rodrigo Amaro Led by the director of "Kiss of the Spider Woman" and starring an amazing cast, this epic of three hours goes to show something that some of us might have seen in another film. Better and shorter than "At Play in the Fields of the Lord", the awarded "The Mission" (1986) presented the conflict between Portuguese and Spanish explorers in the 18th Century for the control of lands in the Brazil-Paraguay areas and in the middle of all that there was the Catholic Church trying to convert the Indians who lived there, trying to save their innocent souls from hell. And there was also the ones who saw in these natives a way to explore their hard work, and many of these natives were killed simply because they refused to be part of this; they had their lifestyle and didn't need to contribute for the so-called progress brought by the white man. Babenco takes this premise and brings into the 20th Century; so, instead of European nations taking over the land there's corrupt businessmen who want to kill the natives to take their gold and the rubber that's present on the land. Their salvation is on the hands of American missionaries (John Lithgow, Daryl Hannah, Kathy Bates and Aidan Quinn) who are teaching the Catholicism to them; and a former mercenary (Tom Berenger) who is Half-Indian, and he decides to join the natives after being accepted by them as being a god that came out of the sky (after an incident where he jumped from his plane using a parachute).And do you think those missionaries learned the lesson about letting the Indians preserve their own culture instead of "planting" new concepts on their heads? Of course not! What makes this epic different from Roland Joffe's classic is not only the period both stories occur but also that in this film we have time to hear what the Indians have to say about the white man, that aspect was left out in 1986 film which caused some controversial to the film. Here, the tribe that was supposed to be destroyed by Berenger's character is completely opposed to relations with the missionaries, believing they bring diseases to their community (and they're right). However, if giving voice to the Indians was a good aspect that diverged from "The Mission" this film couldn't touch its greatness in terms of quality of the performances and the story, that goes overlong, with too much time to present to us how different the cultures are, that sort of thing made for the audience to relate with the missionary couple (Bates and Quinn) and their son (Niilo Kivirinta) trying to get used to the jungle. Joffé's film is a great History lesson; this one is a pure adventure.There's a sense that the film tries to please its audience so much but it doesn't work all so well with some spectacular sequences, the good music by Zbigniew Preisner and the stellar cast. The latter only having good performances from Tom Waits and the always excellent Nelson Xavier who plays a priest who understands better than anyone what happens in this danger zone. The famous stars from this, well, they act too much and you can't trust them while playing those characters. There's times when you see their faces and you'll go "Oh, it's that guy from that other movie!" They simply don't disappear into the character.I enjoyed this film because of its story and its message of learn to respect other cultures that aren't evolved like ours. Not to mention that even in its three hours the movie never gets boring, never gets uninteresting and actually goes quite fast.Problematic, flawed and not much full or rich in its content, "At Play in the Fields of the Lord" even with all these troubles, manages to be a visually beautiful film that deserves some recognition. Watch it more for its entertainment purposes than for its political and artistic contexts. 9/10

thinker1691 Far from the boundaries of the modern world, live a primitive people who have existed naturally for thousands of years undisturbed. However, beginning with the European invasion of the 15th century and continuing unabated to the present, their culture, their tribal beliefs and even their very existence have come under siege. From a healthy population of thousands, they have been wantonly slaughtered and decimated to a handful of survivors. This film is one of a few which has the courage to illuminate the culprits of destruction. The Movie is called " At Play in the Fields of the Lord. " The story is that of Martin and Hazel Quarrier (Aidan Quinn and Kathy Bates) and their son Billy (Niilo Kivirinta) who were convinced by Leslie Huben (John Lithgow) and his wife Andy (Daryl Hannah) to move to South America and run a missionary outpost in the Brazlian jungle. Although it's Mr. Huben who's the fervent evangelical and enthusiastic force behind the mission, Martin desires to emulate him despite his inner doubts and misgivings. Into this mix is Lewis Moon (Tom Berenger) a modern Cheyenne originally hired to destroy the indigenous tribesmen, changes his mind and embraces their jungle life. Although warned by Commandante Guzman (Jose Dumont) and resident Catholic priest, Father Xantes (Nelson Xavier) not to expect success, the missionaries insist on forcing the natives to accept religious imposition despite the cost to the established tribes. The notion of change is contrary to the established peoples, but insisted on by the invading missionaries and their soul seeking agenda. Added to their destructive presence are the foreign businesses seeking wealth at the cost of the forest. The movie is a revelation of what is transpiring even now. The destruction of an entire Eco-system, the Rain Forest and the disappearing tribes are at the heart of this movie. Questioning his faith, Martin re-evaluates his decision when his son is stricken and his wife goes insane. The scenery of the pristine jungle and the tribes as well as the top notch acting of the cast is a plus for this incredible film. In the addition, its a prime candidate to become a Classic, despite it's length. ****

keith-howlett-1 Does anyone know where I can buy this movie? I believe it is still only available in VHS.Please feel free to contact me if you know where I can purchase this movie, or if you have one for sale yourself. Does anyone know where I can buy this movie? I believe it is still only available in VHS.Please feel free to contact me if you know where I can purchase this movie, or if you have one for sale yourself. Does anyone know where I can buy this movie? I believe it is still only available in VHS.Please feel free to contact me if you know where I can purchase this movie, or if you have one for sale yourself. Does anyone know where I can buy this movie? I believe it is still only available in VHS.Please feel free to contact me if you know where I can purchase this movie, or if you have one for sale yourself.