Review of Elite Squad (2007) by Alberto Makoto A — 21 Aug 2009

Vivid and intense, Elite Squad's depiction of the special ops in Rio de Janero is a reality of brutality. Although not to par with its relative, City of God, the film is still of exquisite caliber.

It is similarly cross-purposed with entertainment and education and vocates some of the same commentaries on humanity. However, Elite Squad funnels the same themes into the more concrete ideas of justice's reach.

The favellas of Rio are a realm of uncoordinated violence and black market substances, and politically, a world of its own, to which Elite Squad is the response. The film explores the expansive and complex gray area that rests between black and white.

Wagner Moura delivers a unique performance, vibrating with ferocity and anxiety, which is met by aesthetically similar cinematography. It's a graphic and aggressive experience, impressively made with energy and endurance.