a horrible movie that I strongly recommend

Rating: 9/10 (13 November 2005)

When I say "horrible" I am referring to the vileness of the characters and terrible images in the film. Technically speaking, this is a great film--with some of the most amazing and innovative cinematography I have ever seen. The stories are interwoven very well and the film seems so very real. It is so unfortunate at the film's conclusion you find out that although these are actors, the story itself is true. It's just so hard to imagine living in this hell on Earth in Rio. After seeing this film, there's no way I am ever visiting Brazil!! I'm sure many viewers feel the same way due to the absolute brutality of their slums where the police do little to interfere with gangs who run it.
FYI--there's an excellent and sobering documentary on the Criterion DVD of this movie about the drug problem in Rio in the present day. However, it and the film itself are very intense and bloody so I would not allow kids or even teens to view the film. It's really a shame, as most of the way through the documentary I realized it would be a great thing to show my high school world history class. But, the sight of a room full of naked teens with their penises a-dangling changed my mind!