After a bloody invasion of the BOPE in the High-Security Penitentiary Bangu 1 in Rio de Janeiro to control a rebellion of interns, the Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and the second in command Captain André Matias are accused by the Human Right Aids member Diogo Fraga of execution of prisoners. Matias is transferred to the corrupted Military Police and Nascimento is exonerated from the BOPE by the Governor.
Direction
Padilha's documentary DNA makes chaos feel illegally intimate
Acting
Wagner Moura's thousand-yard stare deserves its own award category
Editing
Razor-sharp cuts that mirror Nascimento's unraveling psyche
Director
José Padilha
Wagner Moura
Tenente-Coronel Nascimento
Irandhir Santos
Diogo Fraga
André Ramiro
André Matias
Milhem Cortaz
Tenente-Coronel Fábio
Maria Ribeiro
Rosane
Seu Jorge
Beirada
Sandro Rocha
Russo
Tainá Müller
Clara
André Mattos
Fortunato
Pedro Van-Held
Rafael
Adriano Garib
Guaracy
Julio Adrião
Governador Gelino
Emílio Orciollo Netto
Valmir
Charles Fricks
Vermont
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
BOPE is real — Brazil's actual military police special ops, and this film sparked national debates about police violence that reached the Supreme Court.
Nascimento's voiceover was Padilha's compromise after censors demanded cuts; the narration became iconic and influenced the sequel's entire structure.
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Reactions from the web
Both elite squads are very good movies..
@mikeroussakies 10
I remember zooming around the underground parking of that that beloved Laemmle Sunset 5 from way before the AMC years. Fun times.
@tectorgorch8698 3
a Film Series worth taking a look at (both definitely resonated for Brazilians)
@CJBrowninLV 3
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