In 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.In 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.In 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits.
- Writers
- André Batista(book "Elite da Tropa")
- Bráulio Mantovani
- José Padilha
- Stars
- Rodrigues
- (as André Mauro)
- Marcinho
- (as Erick Maximiano Oliveira)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie was originally meant to have Capitão Nascimento as a secondary character and Neto and Matias as the main characters. It was only after shooting was finished that director José Padilha and writer Bráulio Mantovani realized how impressed they were with Wagner Moura's charisma on screen and decided to edit the film with his voice over, changing the focus of the story and turning Capitão Nascimento into a main character.
- Quotes
Trainee officer: [during an information training session] Hey, Coordinator!
Capitão Nascimento: Yes, my sir?
Trainee officer: Soldier 05 is sleeping.
Capitão Nascimento: Hey Soldier 05!
[hands 05 a grenade, 05 takes the grendade]
André Matias: Yes, sir?
Capitão Nascimento: Please take this.
[removes the pin]
Capitão Nascimento: Hey 05, if you drop this granade you will make the whole place explode. You will blow up ALL of your colleagues, you will blow up all of my auxiliaries, and YOU will make myself explode. Will the sir fall asleep again?
André Matias: No sir!
Capitão Nascimento: [after 05 stares down the grenade] We are all trusting you, sir.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Tropa de Elite 2 - Eliittijoukot (2010)
- SoundtracksTropa de Elite
Performed by Tihuana
The film being presented in two parts, we are indulged into an extended prologue to get acquainted with the protagonists: Captain Nascimento, feeling the stress as a 0-1, is on the lookout for a substitute between André Matias, a law student cum policeman struggling with his own identity and Neto, the ideal candidate as his replacement who's violent and relentless to a fault. Accompanied by a sometimes distracting voice over, the audience is given proper time to find themselves immersed in the narrative and characters. Even if the film's screenplay explodes every second of its almost 2-hour running time, personality development is not left on the back seat, to much relief.
Andre Ramiro's performance as André Matias is pitch perfect. Practically the film's moral backbone, he elucidates the distinction between pretending to know and knowing. The best scenes in the picture not involves scenes of brazen violent explosions but his rationalizing and character driven moments. The film uses his character to deter the judgmental audience from pretending to know but reminds them they know nothing.
Padilha is in control of the film until its very last shot; able to summon his own elite squad of cinematographers and sound technicians. The production values are top notch indeed, as the cinema also explodes with every bang and boom. Filmed in cinema verite, it gathers up inspiration from previous war-themed films from the tones and hues of the mentioned "Cidade de Deus" to Alfonso Cuaron's blood splatter on the screen technique from "Children of Men". With the sound and images pushing the audience to its nauseating edge, full immersion is delivered without breaking a sweat.
Comparison to "Cidade de Deus" should be complementary, as "Elite" tackles the impotent depiction of policemen by the former. In fact, it acts as its contemporary, acting as if it exists on the same universe. It demands merit in its own right though, as the film is well staged like its depiction of training the elite, making it an involving exercise, not seen since Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket".
Immersive, hypnotic and engaging, "Tropa de Elite" guarantees Padilha to be noticed on a more mainstream circuit. Previously delivering "Onibus 174", also tackling the same themes of nurture and consequence as a catalyst to violence, he is able to comment on sensitive themes without being too preachy and also able to wrap it in a well produced package. Film is definitely an above average fare and is essential to be experienced on the big screen, just for its sound design alone.
- crey014
- Jul 24, 2008
Details
Box office
- 1 hour 55 minutes
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