A Thrilling Ride (Contains Possible Spoilers)

Rating: 9/10 (14 October 2018)

City of God is unlike many foreign movies you will see. From start to finish, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seat. The movie starts off with a fun game of soccer between young kids, with the main character introducing himself to the audience. Very shortly after, you learn the stories and the lives of those close to him and the violence that entangles each and every person living in their small town. While the film jumps from character to character, the movie revolves around Rocket, who is trying to find his place growing up in the slums.
Each important character is introduced by either slow motion or a freeze frame of them on screen and then an introduction by Rocket to the audience explaining who they are and then followed up by their story and how they are relevant to Rocket. This use of editing, while it may seem outdated and tacky, is really helpful for the audience to get an idea of who each person is in this story and to give a good amount of information about each character. This simple editing is really key to the story because it symbolizes Rockets future career and aspirations as a future photographer. The still frames of the characters with Rocket explaining who they are is just like if someone were to hold up a picture of that person and Rocket would explain their purpose to him.
This movie is a must see for anyone that is in need of seeing a fantastic foreign film. While there is heavy violence, it helps capture the life these characters had and how their life changes so much throughout the film. It will keep you watching and wanting to know more from start to finish.