Elite Squad (2007)

1997, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his occupation while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope comes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Director:

José Padilha

Writers:

André Batista (book), Bráulio Mantovani

Stars:

Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira

38 wins & 14 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 | police | brazil | 

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Taglines:

From the Academy Award nominated 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

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Brazil] TFM Distribution [France]

Country:

Brazil USA Argentina

Language:

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:

BRL 1,786,339 (Brazil), 7 October 2007, Limited Release

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,604, 21 September 2008, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$8,060, 28 September 2008

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,067,078, 22 June 2012

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was cited as the inspiration for the setting of the game Max Payne 3 (2012).

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Quotes

Capitão Nascimento: [at time of the lunch at the BOPE's Boot camp] Sheriff, how many minutes does your team need to eat?
Neto: Sir, maybe 10 minutes, Sir.
[the senior instructors laugh]
Capitão Nascimento: 10 Minutes, Sheriff? SHERIFF, YOU ARE A BUFFOON, SHERIFF! Your team will eat in 10 seconds, Sheriff...
[the senior instructors bring a cauldron full of slop, then, they drop the food on the ground]
Capitão Nascimento: ... And in 10 seconds I want this ground CLEAN, Sheriff.

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Connections

Followed by Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010)

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Soundtracks

Lado B Lado A
Written by Marcelo Falcão
Performed by Rappa (as O Rappa)

User Reviews

Amazingly good... and horrifying

Tropa de Elite is an amazingly good film; by turns brutally real and horrifyingly hilarious.

It claims to be based on a true story and I find that sadly believable. The main plot revolves around the captain of an elite police unit trying to find a replacement for himself, while dealing with the birth of his child and the horrendous stress of his job, and a mission to clear out a dangerously violent slum.

There are no wholly good people in the movie, and it's frighteningly easy to compare some of what goes on to things happening in the USA (and other places) today. That said, the system of government and policing portrayed comes across as so amazingly inept and awful that it's almost like something straight out of a nightmarish sci-fi dystopia.

If I had to compare it to other movies, it comes off as a cross between Brazil, Office Space, and Full Metal Jacket. Not for the weak of stomach, and you may find yourself greatly disagreeing with the ideals of various groups portrayed (which I believe is part of the point), but I would be enormously surprised if this movie doesn't make you think and give you something to talk about.