Review of Elite Squad (2007) by Felipe B — 05 Jun 2010

I know, I know, from the name it sounds like 80's action movie starring Chuck Norris, but seriously, these guys would eat Chuck for breakfast and spit out the bones. Tropa de Elite as its known in its native tongue tells the story of Rio's special police forces, otherwise known as the BOPE.

For anyone who's been lucky enough to watch the powerful and moving Brazillian movie, City of God, this is almost the flip side of that tale. These aren't the guys that sell guns and drugs in the favella's of Rio De Janeiro, quite the opposite. These are the guys that get sent into deal with the FUBAR situations that the regular cops can't or won't deal with. Unlike the regular police foot soldiers, these guys are supposedly incorruptible, trained to the hilt and will do whatever it takes to get the job done. Whatever it takes.

During a time of Guantanamo Bay, where our governments have been accused of mobile torture camps, of water-boarding prisoners and leaving them in solitary confinement for weeks at a time to glean information that could potentially save lives, it provides quite poignant questions of "how far is too far?".

Where you stand on this will probably effect how you feel about the film but either way it will grab your attention. I found myself asking where you draw the line in the search for justice, and what the difference between justice and vengeance reallly is.

This is by no means an action movie, its more a social study of the classes and the police force of a country I know very little about and wouldn't like to judge but it does so in a very powerful and thought provoking way.

The film follows 3 men within the ranks of the BOPA, what being part of it means and how it effects their lives. I can't really go into specifics without ruining the plot but I found this to be far worthier than the RT score on it suggests. Maybe thats just me but I think its a film worth checking out and leaves you thinking after its over. I have no problem recommending this one to one and all.