Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Genre: DramaActionThriller
Director: José Padilha
Starring: Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos, André Ramiro, Milhem Cortaz
Language: Portuguese
Duration: 115 min.
Rating: 8.0 

Summary:
When a BOPE mission to stop a jail riot ends in violence, Nascimento finds his job on the line--and BOPE accused of a massacre by human rights activists. But a public fed up with the violence and gangs that plague Rio loves it, and Nascimento finds himself embraced as a hero who gets results. With elections around the corner, he's promoted to Sub-Secretary of Intelligence. In his powerful new post, Nascimento strengthens BOPE and brings the drug gangs that run the slum to their knees-- only to come to the sobering realization that by doing so, he's only made things easier for the corrupt cops and dirty politicians who are truly running the game...



Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is a film directed by José Padilha, the sequel to his 2007 film Elite Squad.  Released in Brazil in October of 2010, it has since become the most successful film of all time at the Brazilian box-office.  It has also been selected as Brazil's official submission to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

Picking up thirteen years after the events in Elite Squad, the story is once again narrated by Wagner Moura reprising his role of Nascimento who is now a Lt. Colonel and commander of BOPE.  The film begins with a brazen and bloody operation that successfully quells a prison riot, but which results in massive political fallout for Nascimento and his protege André Matias (André Ramiro) when they are accused of human rights violations.

More thrilling, better written, and vastly more intelligent than the original, if it were not for the  same stylish high octane action sequences, it would be hard to believe that this is from the same director.  Padilha shows maturity as a filmmaker here with a brilliantly crafted complex story of staggering scale that encompasses not only the police and drug dealers, but also deftly weaves in covert intelligence gathering, political intrigue, and the mass media.  Showing every part of the flawed system and playing out much like a highly condensed two-hour version of The Wire.

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

This maturity is also seen in the evolution of Nascimento's character who is no longer a one-note militaristic machine but comes across as a real person.  Still far from a heroic good guy, but now a sympathetic human being capable of rational thought which makes his ever present voice-over far more bearable this time around.  Also the large amount of violence, which is just as copious and unflinchingly brutal as in the first film, feels much more powerful here because it is always meaningful to the story or used for development, rather than simply making holes in things because it looks cool on screen.

With Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, José Padilha has come up with a thrilling blockbuster of a sequel, that is miles ahead of the original in combining the smart and the visceral for what is no doubt one of the best action films of the year.  If it doesn't get written off and ignored for being a sequel, I think this stands a good chance of making it to the nine film Academy shortlist.

Bonjour Tristesse

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within • Tropa de Elite 2 - O Inimigo Agora É Outro (2010)

19 comments:

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Wow, thanks for that, 26 - 0, I didn't expect that at all. 

Bonjour Tristesse said...

If only eliminating crime were so simple...

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I know, after watching the first I wasn't too enthused going into this one, but wow what a turn of events.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yeah he was a real dick in the first film, but much more likeable here.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thanks Jack Deth,

and yeah, I have been watching a lot of excellent films lately. 

Bonjour Tristesse said...

That is true, probably done on purpose to get more tickets sold.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yeah I was expecting a typical sequel letdown but the turnaround was a pleasant surprise.

NeverTooEarlyMP said...

Great review, and a little surprising. I'll admit that I had written this off as too blockbuster for the foreign language branch, but if it delves deeply enough into the corrupt police and politicians, then maybe it has a chance after all.

Jack Deth said...

Hi, Bonjour and company:

I was just skimming through Rotten Tomatoes and was quite pleased that 'Elite Squad: The Enemy Within' has an average of 100%.

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/elite_squad_the_enemy_within/

Hoi-Ming Ng said...

I can identify with a public that is so fed up with crime that they welcome a little human rights violation. (- -||||)

d_4 said...

That much of a difference in just 3 years? A sequel that's actually better than the first? These aren't exactly common to hear. I can't wait to  see these side by side.

Martin Müller said...

I've acutally seen the movie I liked it. Especially the protagonist was good.

Jack Deth said...

Hi, Bonjour and company:

Cool write up and photos!

A sequel that looks and sounds better than the original. With hints of Clark Johnson's  'S.W.A.T.' blended with the original, 'Elite Squad'.

Looks like you're on a roll!

Shutter Bug said...

the title of the movie sounds like a video game!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

No, although a few of the same characters are in this, it is a stand alone film.  Though you might miss a few details, because the film spends very little time explaining who is who.

The Angry Lurker said...

The director appears to have matured and improved his art, sounds good again.

FrontRoomCinema said...

I saw this available the other day. I might have to give it a go now BT. Thanks

Colin said...

Duly noted. One for me to see, I think. I liked Wagner Moura a lot in VIPs. Is it essential to see the first part of this first?

Post a Comment