Elite Squad (2007)

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.

Director:

José Padilha

Writers:

André Batista (book), Bráulio Mantovani

Stars:

Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira

47 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wagner Moura	...	Capitão Nascimento
André Ramiro	...	Aspirante Matias
Caio Junqueira	...	Neto
Milhem Cortaz	...	Capitão Fábio
Fernanda Machado	...	Maria
Maria Ribeiro	...	Rosane
Paulo Vilela	...	Edu
Fernanda de Freitas	...	Roberta
André Di Mauro	...	Rodrigues (as André Mauro)
Fábio Lago	...	Claudio Mendes de Lima 'Baiano'
Erick Oliveira	...	Marcinho (as Erick Maximiano Oliveira)
Patrick Santos	...	Tinho
Rafael d'Avila	...	Xuxa
Roberta Santiago	...	Rose
Emerson Gomes	...	Xaveco

Storyline

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 ...

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Plot Keywords:

military police | rio de janeiro brazil | brazilian military | rio de janeiro | south america | 

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Taglines:

From the Writer of 'City of God'

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language and drug content

Did You Know?

Trivia

Caio Junqueira was initially considered too old for the part of Neto. He then auditioned for the part of Capitão Fábio, but opted for a performance that would convince the casting staff he could still be a viable choice for Neto, in spite of his age. He successfully conveyed that message, and Milhem Cortaz got to play Fábio instead.

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Quotes

Capitão Nascimento: [shouting, rubbing the student's face in the blood-soaked body of a dead drug dealer] Put your face here. Put your face here. You see this, you see this hole right here? Who killed this guy here? WHO KILLED THIS GUY HERE?
Student: [stuttering in fear] I didn't see it...
Capitão Nascimento: You didn't see OF COURSE YOU SAW IT. SAY IT! SAY IT!
[he starts slapping the student in the face]
Capitão Nascimento: SAY IT! Who killed this guy here? WHO DID IT?
Student: [crying] I-it was one of you...
Capitão Nascimento: [shouting] THE FUCK "One of you"! THE FUCK "One of you"!
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Um Tio Quase Perfeito (2017)

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Soundtracks

Tropa de Elite
Performed by Tihuana

User Reviews

Turned out really, really well

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Brazil] TFM Distribution [France]

Country:

Brazil USA Argentina

Language:

Greek Latin French English German Italian Spanish Portuguese

Release Date:

12 October 2007 (Brazil)

Also Known As:

Elite Squad

Filming Locations:

Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Box Office

Budget:

$4,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,604, 21 September 2008

Gross USA:

$8,744

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,759,148

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zazen Produções, Posto 9, Feijão Filmes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1