"Tropa de Elite 2" is a gripping look at corruption and the dangers of power, a movie that walks a thin line and does a great job of showing the difficulties of bringing change to the system using the system, and how the use of legitimized coercion may (or may not) be necessary in some occasions. And even if you have not watched the first one, you will enjoy the new "adventures" of Lt. Colonel Nascimento.
The movie starts with Nascimento having some problems at the job. But instead of being kicked out of the BOPE, he gets a promotion. And then is when things start to get complicated, when a man used to be with the direct violence in Brazil's everyday life, gets to 'enjoy' sharing his time with the structural and cultural violence that comes from the system, the rich and the politicians.
And the movie does a great job in keeping everything interesting, even if the action is tone down compared with the first movie. You get nice plot developments, interesting characters' arcs and a lot of food for thought. Nothing is particularly original (power corrupts is not something that you have never heard before), but the message and its delivery is strong.
It helps that the use of locations is great, that the acting (with Moura again doing a great job as Nascimento) is top notch, and that the direction keeps the pace fast and fresh, the almost two hours of movie finished in a breeze. A necessary viewing.
The movie starts with Nascimento having some problems at the job. But instead of being kicked out of the BOPE, he gets a promotion. And then is when things start to get complicated, when a man used to be with the direct violence in Brazil's everyday life, gets to 'enjoy' sharing his time with the structural and cultural violence that comes from the system, the rich and the politicians.
And the movie does a great job in keeping everything interesting, even if the action is tone down compared with the first movie. You get nice plot developments, interesting characters' arcs and a lot of food for thought. Nothing is particularly original (power corrupts is not something that you have never heard before), but the message and its delivery is strong.
It helps that the use of locations is great, that the acting (with Moura again doing a great job as Nascimento) is top notch, and that the direction keeps the pace fast and fresh, the almost two hours of movie finished in a breeze. A necessary viewing.