Bad Cop, Badder Cop in Brazil

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• Reader Comments (3)

  Page 1 of 1 pages

  Kinda reminds me of some of the older Charlie Bronson movies here in the US. Tough guy takes out the bad guys, much to the delight of the audience. It seems pretty clear that the popularity is due to a need to establish order. . . 

  Is it really surprising that threats of violence and torture are effective? I sure as hell would cooperate with someone rather than be tortured, i would think that most everyone would, with the small exception of the really crazy crazies.  However, this is not to say that torture is moral or ethical, simply that is is very likely to be effective.

  Posted by wolf on Dec 21, 2007 at 1:51 PM

  I’m a brazilian journalist and student of political science. The movie surely is not a fascist propaganda, but in its intension of reflecting the social situation, demonstrates one that already has a lot of a fascism. As like the type of mentality that runs deep in medium and high class. Even more now. Also one that has a lot of fascism within. They are afraid of the poor who kill and kidnap their sons. Its easy for them to respond with guns and torture. Not so much with distribution of wealth. Hell, its their deliberate choice. Of course, they continue to finance their oponents, buying drugs. Lot’s of it. That’s what makes the decision of the poor in the slums basically a economic one, despite the ideology of “those who wants to be honest do”.  Would you like to gain a salary of misery and starving cleaning baths, if lucky, or win quick and lot’s of money joining the drugs industries? So much for a choice. The movie is so sucessfull that the catch words from captain nascimento has become jokes in circles of friends of mine. Televisions networks now have parodys of the movie, that should be called “tropa da elite”, as a squad that works for elite, and not as a squad that is elite. Just to starting to understand the idea, think about the U.S. and world reaction to findings of torture in Guantanamo and Iraq. Long way from standing ovations and hero creations. That’s what is going on here. To make it worse, president Lula wishes to send Bope to “change experiences” with brazilian army that is now promoting a blood bath, at request of U.S., in Haiti. They already have a lot of understanding, since the army is always helping the special police in their invasions of the slums. The situation is critical, and becoming worst. To me, the major problem with the movie is that aproaches the problem from a individual perspective. The torturing hero. It’s great in showing his dilemas and psichological conflicts. But the problem, as it’s consequences, is collective. So as it’s solution. That each day seems more distant.

  Posted by raphael162002 on Jan 12, 2008 at 4:46 PM

  An instant in the care of a darkness.

  Suddenly, with the
  grace and a
  beautiful light, tender
  refrains of this
  present recall me
  describing a picture
  and a serious
  delight, and this is
  the darkness of the
  rising blackbird.

  Francesco Sinibaldi

  Posted by Sinibaldi on Jan 20, 2008 at 8:20 AM

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Also by Holmes Wilson

• Bad Cop, Badder Cop in Brazil
  Does the new shoot-'em-up film Tropa de Elite bring out the country's inner fascist?