Review of Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010) by Paul B — 08 Jun 2012

Exploding with enough violence and righteous indignation to make any admirer of Brazilian cinema stand up and take notice. It's the "system" of police corruption in Rio de janeiro that's largely under scrutiny here, but profiteering politicians, crooked prison officers, a bent media, and gangland ghetto warfare also take a hit in this all action 'social' thriller with a conscience.

It's apparently a sequel to the first Elite Squad outing in 2007, which is said to have covered the Special Police Operation Battalion in more detail, but this stands alone as a tough crime capper of the type that Brazil has become known for in recent years since the groundbreaking City of God (2002).

Not in the same league as that classic film, but still high on action, if a little low on pathos and character development, yet well-worth the ride regardless.