Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Wagner Moura | ... | Capitão Nascimento | |
André Ramiro | ... | Aspirante Matias | |
Caio Junqueira | ... | Neto | |
Milhem Cortaz | ... | Capitão Fábio | |
Fernanda Machado | ... | Maria | |
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Maria Ribeiro | ... | Rosane |
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Paulo Vilela | ... | Edu |
Fernanda de Freitas | ... | Roberta | |
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André Di Mauro | ... | Rodrigues (as André Mauro) |
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Fábio Lago | ... | Claudio Mendes de Lima 'Baiano' |
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Erick Oliveira | ... | Marcinho (as Erick Maximiano Oliveira) |
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Patrick Santos | ... | Tinho |
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Rafael d'Avila | ... | Xuxa |
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Roberta Santiago | ... | Rose |
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Emerson Gomes | ... | Xaveco |
In 1997, before the visit of the pope to Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento from BOPE (Special Police Operation Battalion) is assigned to eliminate the risks of the drug dealers in a dangerous slum nearby where the pope intends to be lodged. Captain Nascimento is trying to find a man to replace him because his wife is pregnant and he intends to quit the command and become a trainer of the new recruits. Meanwhile, the two idealistic friends Neto and Matias join the Military Police force expecting to become honest policemen and fight the criminals. However, they see only corruption, lack of competence and stupid bureaucracy in the Military Police, and after a serious incident in the Morro da Babilônia, they decide to join the BOPE. The lives of Capitain Nascimento, Neto and Matias are entwined along the next months, first in the tough training period and then in action against drug dealers. Nascimento believes that Neto could be his substitute, but his impulsive attitudes jeopardizes ... Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Having seen "Cidade de Deus" and thoroughly enjoyed it (though it is a grim tale), I was at first having high hopes for "Tropa de Elite". Then I thought that it could never reach the same high standards, and my hopes were lowered a great deal.
About 3 months ago I happened to see about 15 minutes of the movie, and that lowered my hopes even more. How wrong I was to judge such a great movie on what must have been an unfortunate 15 minutes.
I won't go into detail about the story, but it is both believable and compelling. Like "Cidade..." this is no fairy tale. It's the world as it is. No more, no less. Of course, there might not be that many guns blazing in reality, but I'd reckon this isn't very far off.
We feel the pain, the lack of morale and the despair and hopelessness. Photography is spot on, the acting is both fantastic and realistic. "Tropa de Elite" never went into the big theaters here in Denmark which is rather unfortunate, since it's a true gem. Instead we get loads of mainstream crap. Not to sound arrogant, I watch loads of mainstream movies too (voluntarily, even), but it's movies like this that made me love movies as fondly as I do.
Do yourself a favour. Get this on DVD. See it. Feel the pain. Immerge yourself in the desperate world. Then, after it's all over, enjoy your life, a life that will seem much, much brighter after this.