A Remarkably Disturbing Portrait Of Life In The Slums Of Rio

Rating: Null/10 (9 August 2013)

One of the best contemporary films of its or any other time, City of God (also known as Cidade de Deus) is an exceptionally disturbing portrait of life in the slums of Rio de Janeiro that covers the birth & flourishing world of gangsters, gang-wars & drug deals spanning over 3 decades, from 1960s to 1980s, and is narrated from the viewpoint of a young photographer named Rocket who continuously finds himself in the middle of all this despite wanting no part of this world.
There are several main characters introduced in the film throughout its runtime & the film expertly covers the evolution of each one of them. The direction is brutally honest, the script is absolutely uncompromising with its content, cinematography is raw, evocative & stylish, editing is tight & inventive, music is a huge plus and the performances by its entire cast is outstanding, especially the show-stealing stuff by child actors (my favourite being the one who played Li'l Dice).
Based on a true story, City of God is a brutally violent, intensely shocking & downright merciless cinema that will leave its viewers gasping for air from start to finish with its highly potent combination of fierce storytelling, explosive pace & aggressive style of filmmaking. Unquestionably one of world cinema's greatest films & certainly the finest to come out from Brazil, this genre-defining masterpiece is strongly recommended to every cinema lover around the globe. Don't miss it.