Sarah Simar—City of God

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2017)

Guns, gangs, crime, drugs, power, wealth, survival—these are the most obvious themes in the City of God. There is no way out, no safe place to hide in the City of God. If you are not in a gang, you are forced into one at a very young age. One of the main characters and narrator of the story, Rocket, dreams of being a photographer and getting out of this violent world. The other one, Ze Pequeno, wants to rule the city from a young age with his partner Benny and accomplishes just that through a series of malicious acts. These two characters are so radically different but their paths cross more than once throughout the movie. These moments reiterate the theme that there is no way out, even for Rocket, who wants nothing to do with any gang.
The use of narration in this film works very well especially for viewers who need a little more explanation and clarification. The audience always knows what is going on, even if it is not until later in the film. Throughout the film each character's story is woven together in a way that we do not need to question their importance or purpose. It's not that the character's story does not lack significance; it's simply that their role in this cyclical violence is constantly being replaced. When someone important dies, their role is immediately replaced.
The City of God is a film that opens our eyes to a world where no one is safe. The film is honest and does not hold anything back. Children are turned into gangsters to follow a leader that wants to rule the city. The movie leaves us with the feeling that this cycle will continue with the last scene of the children planning how to take over the city all over again. Although Rocket leaves this dire situation, the overall mood is hopeless; there is no hero to stop the cycle.