In the midst of a Marxist-Leninist guerrilla insurgency by the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, the anti-communist military dictatorship uses death squads to abduct, torture and "disappear" anyone who speaks about their terrible human rights record.

The military also prevents average voters from getting to the polls; soldiers are shown blocking a bus bringing people to town on election day.

The Vatican elevates theologically conservative Oscar Arnulfo Romero (Raul Julia) to the position of Archbishop of San Salvador, hoping that he will not get involved in politics.

He initially refrains from stirring anti-government sentiments, but, as he spends more time as archbishop, he sees evidence of deception, oppression, and systemic murder, after which he cannot support the government in good conscience and begins to speak out.

[5] After failing to rescue a pro-government hostage of the Pro-Soviet guerrillas in a botched ransom, Romero discovers that his friend Father Osuna (Alejandro Bracho), a militant critic of the military regime, has been captured and tortured.

After securing his release, Romero instigates a boycott of the president-elect's inauguration, defying him by saying Mass in a church the Salvadoran military has taken over as a barracks.

[4] Spirituality and Practice gave the film a positive review stating it as an "excellent drama" with most of the praise going towards Raul Julia in his performance as Romero.

Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times stated the fact that "the film doesn't deal with the role of the American government in El Salvador's plight, beyond a plea from Romero for the US to stop sending arms that will be only used against his country's people.