Very Disappointed

Rating: 5/10 (1 April 2006)

Based on the near universal praise from critics and viewers alike and my interest in Brazilian culture, not to mention the buzz about the cinematography, I was eager to see this film, despite my lack of interest in violence as entertainment.
I was disappointed on all counts. City of God seemed very amateurish to me, and I am still trying to figure out what is so great about the camera work. Done in a cinema verite style, it never seemed to rise above someone walking around with a video camera. I suppose that is the point, but it was very slack and unintriguing to me.
None of the characters really got under my skin, they were merely shrill and unpleasant, and not in a "good" way.
Most surprisingly, the hype about the violence is unfounded, and I am very sensitive to violence. Yes, there is a lot of shooting, killing, and depraved behavior, but it was presented in a way that oddly had little impact, let alone gore. I felt like I should have been utterly horrified by the scenes portrayed, yet it came across as not credible or realistic.
City of God is certainly not a bad film, and it did have some moments of genuine truth and power, most notably in interactions with various girlfriends.
My overall impression of the movie: - a noble and decent attempt at movie realism in that "cinema verite" style that does not succeed due to the lack of skill of both the director and the actors. Yes, I hear many of the actors were amateurs - but it doesn't work here.
Guess I am pretty much alone here - but I will admit that I don't like very many movies made in the last 15 years or so, although there are a distinct minority that I will watch over and over again such is their quality.