Roberto Nascimento (Wagner Moura) is in charge of a bloody recapture of a High-Security Penitentiary in Rio de Janeiro. Human Right worker Diogo Fraga was visiting the prison at the time, and he blames Nascimento for the bloodshed. However Nascimento becomes more popular than ever, and he's promoted. He eventually loses his wife to Fraga. His son hates him. As the gangs are driven out of the slums, the corrupt police takes over. They form militias which produces votes for corrupted politicians. Soon Nascimento is surrounded by his enemies in his own office.
This is a vast epic sprawling movie. That's the source of its main problem. This would make a great TV serial. Instead of 2 hours, this story could use 10-20 hours. This reminded me a lot of 'The Wire'. As a 2 hr movie, this needs to be boiled down to concentrate on Nascimento. This needs to be his story, not the epic story of corruption in Rio. I was also a little annoyed by the voice over narrations. With such a vast story, a narration to explain things was probably needed. The action is all there. The violence and the edgy story is well done. However the ambition is maybe too big for one movie.
This is a vast epic sprawling movie. That's the source of its main problem. This would make a great TV serial. Instead of 2 hours, this story could use 10-20 hours. This reminded me a lot of 'The Wire'. As a 2 hr movie, this needs to be boiled down to concentrate on Nascimento. This needs to be his story, not the epic story of corruption in Rio. I was also a little annoyed by the voice over narrations. With such a vast story, a narration to explain things was probably needed. The action is all there. The violence and the edgy story is well done. However the ambition is maybe too big for one movie.