City Of God DVD > Reviews > God-like

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Good
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Great acting, great story
Disadvantages:	It is a foreign language film so may not appeal to everyone

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This film came to me highly recommended by several different people. I have to say I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from it but was going into it with an open mind and hoping it would live up to the hype surrounding it. Now I must firstly say that this film is in Portuguese. It’s Portuguese title is in fact ‘Cidade de Deus’, which in English means ‘City of God’. The City of God is in fact a place in Rio de Janeiro. It is the most run down and crime filled place in Brazil. This is worsened by the press coverage the place gets. It is always talk of the bad aspects and never the plight of the people that live there. Therefore, the setting of the film is based around these slums and the characters that live within them.

The central character of the film is called ‘Rocket’. He is a teenage boy during the time in which the film is set. The opening scene in fact starts with a group of boys chasing a chicken that has escaped and they are running through the streets of the City of God after it. Then, the Police come and poor Rocket ends up stuck in the middle of a slight stand off between the two. At this point, however, the film freezes and a voice over comes in. It is Rocket’s voice and so he is our narrator. He tells the story of the City of God as far as he can remember it or should I say since his early childhood. The first part of the flashback shows us some younger boys playing football, Rocket is one of them. Then his brother and his two friends (all of whom are older) come over and tell the boys they are going to hijack a gas truck so the people in the City will have some gas. This also introduces us to L’il Ze. He is the same age as Rocket but eventually will grow up to be the most fearsome gangster in the City of God.

In fact a lot of the first hour or so of the film concentrates on the emergence of L’il Ze. In many ways, Rocket’s development is second place to this; however, this is most definitely worthwhile. It allows us to understand greater L’il Ze’s character and in turn see why he is so ruthless. L’il Ze is most definitely the character you’ll dislike most in the film! He is not nice, for example in one scene about half way through, he is annoyed about a group of young boys who are causing trouble on his ‘patch’ and wants them to stop. So one day him and his cronies (one of which is a young boy of only 11 or so (L’il Ze is 18 or so at this point)) catch a couple of the boys and he shoots the two of them in the foot, then makes the 11 year old shoot one of them. This is a particularly disturbing scene but also a very important one. We realise just how warped L’il Ze actually is and how much of a blood lust he has. This shows the more serious side of this film.

However, this film does have its lighter moments also. For example, Rocket and his hopelessness with his love life! Do not think this film is just full of serious things. In fact, it is not. I feel that despite the seriousness of the story, there is to a certain extent a lighter side. Now a lot of this is black comedy but it definitely works and it sets the film apart from others.

On important aspect of the film is that even from an early age, Rocket has a fascination with cameras and taking pictures. He eventually decides in the film that he wants to become a photographer. He talks about how he must work his way up from the very bottom of the newspaper hierarchy before he can become a photographer. This is interesting because in the film a parallel can be drawn between this and how it shows the way the drug dealer’s work in the same way. How the kids must work their way up before they become dealers. Now I think this tries to show us that in places like the City of God, perhaps the only way they can make money and some kind of life is selling drugs. These kind of parallels between the drug world and the business world are consistent throughout the film.

I must point out that it is indeed difficult in a film like this where a lot goes one to actually be able to explain the plot properly. However, essentially you have a feel for the film. How it is essentially Rocket’s story but told in the context of the situation of the entire City of God. I must also make quick mention of the end of the film. It is great and one of the best ends to a film I have seen in a long time!

The standard of acting in this film is of the highest quality. The lad that plays Rocket does so brilliantly. He allows us to pick up very easily Rocket’s apprehensiveness with regards to guns and using them. He also shows us that he always aspires to get out of the City of God and try and do something with his life. I definitely think his was the best performance in the entire film. Nevertheless there were other great performances. For example, L’il Ze’s character was superbly acted and we really learn to dislike him but at the same time we have some sympathy with him because we see he obviously has had no childhood and he knows no better. He also has no social skills and this makes him more bitter and resentful. Another great performance is from a character named Benny. He is L’il Ze’s right hand man but we always get the sense that he doesn’t necessarily agree with the constant rough tactics employed by L’il Ze.

This film is also fantastically shot. The setting of the entire film is great and everything is supremely choreographed. The attention to detail is impeccable and everything from the wardrobe to the props have evidently been considered. This is a tremendous piece of cinema. Of course, it will not be to everyone’s tastes. Firstly, it is subtitled not dubbed which does put people off. Furthermore, you may not necessarily like some of the more disturbing aspects of the film. It is a serious film and some people prefer to watch lighter stuff as that is what they prefer to relax with. That is good! That is why so many different films are produced. However, I like these types of films and was not disappointed by this one.

I would highly recommend you watch this film. It is excellent and you will probably be a bit surprised by its quality. It is a certificate 18 and I think this is a very suitable rating. I would not recommend you allow children to see it at all. This film is available on DVD and from all good rental stores (online or otherwise!).

Thanks for reading!