The protagonist is a very quiet handsome guy, but he is strong, brave, and upright at heart. What he faces is the intertwined interest groups and criminal gangs. The corrupt police replace the underworld and extort money from the poor. Politicians use black money to run for elections to expand their influence step by step. There are also their people in the media for every action. In such a hopelessly rotten system, the protagonist never wavered or flinched and killed them all. But it seems that there are very few ingredients for degassing, and it is not easy to look at.
The shooting style simulates a documentary, with shaky footage and a lack of cuts. The narrative relies more on inner monologues.
I tried to find out about the political influence of this film in Brazil, but found nothing. Americans still watched it as an ordinary movie and didn't think much about it, after all, this is what happened in a strange country in another world. But it is obviously impossible to understand this film without understanding the social background of Brazil. This movie is heavy but not profound, no matter how shocking the underworld, drug trade, ghetto, and black-gold politics it shows, there is no thought or attempt to give the audience an answer in the movie.
I have also watched "City of God", a Brazilian movie, which is also about the crime theme of Brazil's slums. Stronger than elite troops.
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