Review of Cidade de Desus

Rating: 5/10 (7 October 2019)

City of Gods, directed by Fernando Meirelles and Katia Lund, tells a story of life in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the area known as the City of God. This is an area of high crime and where drug dealers are running the streets, and where children are more interested in playing with guns rather than playing with balls. This movie shows how children killing other children is something normal. The movie does a fascinating demonstration of mise-en-scene, especially in the opening scene of a knife being sharpened on a rock to depict the danger of the area. This becomes significant because its a representation of how anything is used as a weapon in the City of Gods.The headless chickens are another mise-en-scene to signify the children running around causing chaos with their guns while the chicken that escapes is a representation of Rocket, who is looking for a better life outside the City of Gods.Throughout the movie there are fascinating shots utilized. An example, low angle shots are used to present the children stomping through the streets causing chaos. In these low angle shots their bodies are seen as silhouettes which shows faceless children who lives mean nothing. Another low angle shot is the children shooting the chicken to indicate power. There are many close up shots, one is the close up of Rocket and Lil Ze to display Rockets hatred towards him. Slow motion is utilized to Represent Rockets fear of Lil Ze when he is standing in the middle of the street between the cops and Lil Ze. There is also significance of color tones from going to a dark blue color which indicates fear and hard time to a yellow color which indicates calmness and happiness.
The movie overall does a fascinating job with the use of different angles and lighting and the contrast of colors to help build the story of the children in the City of Gods, however I didn't enjoy seeing children finding joy killing each-other. I rate this movie 5/10.