Brilliant but nihilist; where is its heart?

Rating: 7/10 (15 March 2007)

So you thought Hamlet or Tosca were violent?
I struggled for a while with how to rate this movie, as well as how to review it. Considering cinematography and acting, it is very well made (as most viewers have acknowledged with its high ratings). But, it is soulless, with unremitting evil, betrayal, corruption, and mayhem. Ze Pequeno is the vilest character I've EVER seen portrayed (which is saying a lot). It's worse because he's very believable -- we all know there really are people like that. One spends much of the movie hoping that someone will do him in, but the film douses any satisfaction with that.
I prefer my films to have some inspirational values to them. 7 out of 10.