In Portuguese with English Subtitles
Genre: Drama/Crime
Director: Jose Padilha
Cast: Wagner Moura, Caio Junqueira, André Ramiro, Maria Ribeiro, Fernanda Machado
RunTime: 1 hr 58 mins
Released By: GV
Rating: M18
Official Website: http://www.tropadeeliteofilme.com.br/

Opening Day: 25 September 2008

Synopsis:

In 1997, before the visit of the pope to Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento from BOPE (Special Police Operation Battalion) is assigned to eliminate the risks of the drug dealers in a dangerous slum nearby where the pope intends to be lodged. Captain Nascimento is trying to find a man to replace him because his wife is pregnant and he intends to quit the command and become a trainer of the new recruits. Meanwhile, the two idealistic friends Neto and Matias join the Military Police force expecting to become honest policemen and fight the criminals. However, they see only corruption, lack of competence and stupid bureaucracy in the Military Police, and after a serious incident in the Morro da Babilonia, they decide to join the BOPE. The lives of Capitain Nascimento, Neto and Matias are entwined along the next months, first in the tough training period and then in action against drug dealers. Nascimento believes that Neto could be his substitute, but his impulsive attitudes jeopardizes his choice. Later, the intelligent Matias seems to be the correct choice, but he needs to prove that he has heart.

Movie Review:

Mention Brazil and the first thought that may strike you is its famed national soccer team. In the film industry, rarely does a Brazilian-made film gain much international acclaim since 2002’s "City of God" which earned four Academy Award nominations. Now, "Elite Squad", winner of the Golden Bear award in the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival, has been unveiled to give us another insight into the chaotic world that is the Brazilian slums.

Written by Bráulio Mantovani who also penned the screenplay for "City of God", " Elite Squad" brings us once again to the slums of Brazil known as the favelas in 1997 where drug dealers call the shots and the Military Police are so corrupt they have no worries keeping their bribe money in their office drawers. The Pope is due for a visit in a few months time, so the incorruptible BOPE (Special Police Operation Battalion) is called upon to clean things up. Enter Captain Nascimento (Wagner Moura), one of the BOPE’s best officers who have seen enough action that he wants to bail out to be with his pregnant wife. Before that, he has to appoint a successor among the two standout candidates, childhood friends Neto (Caio Junqueira) and Matias (André Ramiro). Both are ideal choices in their own rights, but the favelas, being more hellish as days go by, may provide the sternest test to determine the chosen one.

Based on the same-titled book by sociologist Luiz Eduardo Soares and two BOPE members, André Batista and Rodrigo Pimentel, "Elite Squad" pulls no punches in depicting the intense happenings amid the drug-infested favelas. We see the events unfold mostly through the eyes of Nascimento, who also provides the narration for more of his inner thoughts. Later we are given a glimpse into Neto and Matias’ journey from being rookie Military Police officers to full-fledged BOPE members trained by Nascimento himself. There is also a subplot involving Matias’s life as a part-time law student in which he befriends a classmate named Maria (Fernanda Machado). It is quite an impressive feat by the filmmakers to fit all these intertwining stories into a 2-hour film, not at the expense of its overall quality.

The key thing that the film does right is to avoid demonizing Nascimento despite his ruthlessness in carrying out his job as a top BOPE officer, which is evident in his interrogation and training methods. We tend to feel for him as he struggles to keep his sanity and calmness in check during his missions while fulfilling his responsibility as a husband and father-to-be. We get to understand that he is forced by circumstances to do things that are against his conscience. Matias is another fully-developed character who is torn between his status as a BOPE member and his dream of becoming a lawyer. Aside from striving to make his mark in the BOPE, he has to cope with the pressure of being an outcast among his classmates, who all have no respect for the police force. As a matter of fact, the character of Matias is based on the aforementioned André Batista, who co-wrote the source material book by giving his account of his days juggling his police work and law studies.

The film is also commendable for its witty presentation, in the way that it resorts to some teaser action scenes in its opening, only to reveal them later as being the midpoint of the storyline. We don’t see this very often in dramas that normally do not demand our utmost attention due to their straightforward manner of storytelling. The fact that the cast consists of relative unknowns in the international film industry adds to the film’s realism as well.

As a whole, there is not much fault I can find about "Elite Squad", although in my opinion, the film would be more engaging if Neto’s character can be fleshed out further. We don’t get to know much about him aside from his gung-ho attitude. The film’s overall pace is set just right that you won’t notice the elapsed two hours when the end credits roll. Be forewarned too, this film is not for the faint-hearted. Violence is part and parcel of the BOPE in their war against the drug dealers. Considering the lack of morality in the favelas, fighting fire with fire is inevitable indeed.

Movie Rating:



(Think "SWAT" in a darker setting, minus its cheesy theme music and you end up with "Elite Squad")


Review by Tan Heng Hau