Bold, brutal and simply brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (17 November 2017)

'City of God' or 'Cidade de Deus' is one of the most realistic and brutal gangster films I have ever seen and without question one of the best foreign language films ever made. Set in the slums of Rio, it gives an shocking account of gang culture in a city where crime and violence is the natural path for most young people growing up in deprived communities.
The way in which the story is told, from Rocket's perspective, contributes enormously to the film. The narration, combined with the realistic storyline and characters, means 'City of God' plays more like a documentary than a crime/drama film adapted from a novel. There's no shortage of violence and some of the scenes are very hard-hitting, but 'City of God' is well worth the ride. A bold, brutal and simply brilliant film.