Review of Elite Squad (2007) by Daniel K — 09 Mar 2011

3: I don't think I've disagreed with Monohla Dargis more, although I certainly see her point. She called Elite Squad "a relentlessly ugly, unpleasant, often incoherent assault on the senses from Brazil.

" Perhaps thatâ??s just what I was in the mood for last night, because I ended up staying up far later than I planned to (10:30) in order to finish the film. I bet there would be times when even Dargis would be in the mood to favorably review a film like this, as the Berlin Film Festival was back in 2008.

I started out blanching at what she describes as the "smeary, jittery camerawork and choppy edits that transform the visually disjointed, grim and dim spaces into confetti", but I gradually got over my discomfort as I became engrossed in the story and the world.

Obviously, a less Tony Scott-esque picture may have been easier to digest and far more beautiful, but it worked for me just the same. Every once in while I am definitely in a mood conducive to a good old fashioned exploitation flick, which is what this is, only made in a contemporary style.

The story doesn't flow terribly smoothly, and it leaves a few stones unturned, but it drew me in nonetheless. The characters are memorable, the narration simple yet unique, and the environment fascinating.

The warzone atmosphere is very effectively conveyed, as is the hopeless corruption. It is anything but subtle and politically correct. Torture, murder, and mayhem are celebrated and fetishized. I couldn't help but strongly relate to the military training scenes, despite the fact that my own training was far more tame.

The concepts, techniques, and lessons learned were the same, even if they were pushed towards the far end of the spectrum here. I thought this training sequence represents one of the best I've seen on screen, including films like Full Metal Jacket.

This is a world I would not relish living in. I doubt the Rio de Janiero tourism bureau uses it as an advertisement for their city. It is no City of God, but I was more than tempted to give this 3.5 stars due to the simple visceral pleasure I derived from it.

I'll give it another chance in the future.