Review of City of God (2002) by Matthew H — 01 Oct 2014

An emotionally visceral, graphically violent piece of cinema, City of God (Cidade de Deus) might be one of the most brutally honest films I've ever seen. Noting is taboo as the movie shows children being shot, countless dead bodies, and ruthless behavior; all the more shocking because it's real.

The movie takes place in the City of God, an area in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, far from the places shown on the touristy postcards. It's a slum, and it seems like you'd be lucky to make it into your 20's living there.

The story follows a young man named Rocket as he aspires to be a photographer, while showing bleak backdrop of the drug trade and constant gang warfare in the area. The director purposefully uses little-known actors to make the feel of the movie more authentic, and the way he presents the material through the stunning cinematography and a superb script is amazing.

I'm shocked it didn't succeed in getting nominated for best Foreign Language film at the Oscars, but nonetheless it is a powerful and important film that earns its critical praise. Some viewers will be unable to watch parts of this movie; it really is that shocking.