Tropa de Elite (The Elite Squad) (2008)

53% of critics liked it
(34 reviews)
87% of users liked it
(15,016 ratings)

For decades, the South American metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has clocked in as staggeringly lethal. Its violence-scarred and blood-strewn ghettos (or "favelas") are regularly patrolled by crazed drug gangs whose open-fire battles with police often spread out onto the main thoroughfares and… More For decades, the South American metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has clocked in as staggeringly lethal. Its violence-scarred and blood-strewn ghettos (or "favelas") are regularly patrolled by crazed drug gangs whose open-fire battles with police often spread out onto the main thoroughfares and turn ordinary civilians into casualties. In response, the Brazilian government formed a crack paramilitary force known as the BOPE (Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais, or Special Police Operations Battalion) to take matters into its own hands. Now, director José Padilha's social-consciousness drama Tropa de Elite carries viewers inside of BOPE for a scathing indictment of the cycle of violence that permeates Brazilian society, scripted by 12-year-plus BOPE veteran Rodrigo Pimentel. Wagner Moura (Hector Babenco's Carandiru) stars as Captain Nascimento, the leader of a BOPE unit who is seriously considering retirement in the face of his impending fatherhood. In an effort to pick his successor, he looks to two younger recruits, part-time law student André Matias (André Ramiro) and the bellicose hood Neto (Caio Junqueira) -- but soon recognizes that these naïve men will need to seriously mature before one can take the reins. Inevitably, the events that each encounters on the roughshod Brazilian streets -- particularly a trip to clean up some of the neighborhoods in anticipation of the pope's visit -- begin to shape and redefine them in ways that neither can even begin to anticipate. Meanwhile, BOPE grapples with its own internal problems -- particularly the extreme corruption and underhandedness of each squad leader, whose sideline activities range from resupplying weapons to gangs to the racketeering of strip clubs. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 54 min.
Directed By: José Padilha
Written By: José Padilha, Braulio Mantovani, Rodrigo Pimental
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Aug 17, 2007 Wide
On DVD: Oct 28, 2008
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

V.A. Musetto, New York Post
For nearly two hours, Padilha bombards viewers with senseless, sickening violence for its own sake.
Manohla Dargis, New York Times
Elite Squad is a relentlessly ugly, unpleasant, often incoherent assault on the senses from Brazil.
Jim Ridley, Village Voice
[José Padilha] recariously pitches the squad's brute force as less a necessary evil than the outgrowth of an existing evil -- a no-win situation that mocks liberal ideals and warps conservative pragmatism into domestic terrorism.
David Edelstein, New York Magazine
It bears a resemblance to viscerally exciting seventies urban thrillers like The French Connection, in which only the fascists could do what needed to be done.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
A satisfactory enough cop movie, but not one that people will still be name checking years hence
Robert Koehler, Christian Science Monitor
Given that Brazil, as a Latin American moviemaking powerhouse, steadily produces vibrant, vital films of real impact and humanity, it's a crime itself that Elite Squad may be the only Brazilian film that American audiences see this year.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
A depressing film that celebrates brute strength as the only means to stem the tide of violence and crime in Rio de Janeiro.
Richard Mowe, Boxoffice Magazine
With no star names and a tough subject, it will be hard sell despite being a runaway hit on its home turf.
Chris Barsanti, Film Journal International
A poor man's City of God that suggests the only answer to the problems of Brazil's slums are blazing guns wielded by a neo-fascist police force.
Edward Douglas, ComingSoon.net
Trying to address important and serious social issues in this violent world rather than just creating something sensationalistic or exploitative gives Elite Squad an edge over normal police thrillers.
David Fear, Time Out New York
Elite Squad can't decide whether it wants to pull the lid back on what urban decay has wrought or simply open up a can of whup ass.
Eric Kohn, New York Press
Elite Squad succeeds at putting the worst of the violent spectacles on screen, primarily through a series of nicely staged shootouts and torture sequences.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
The film's message is that all of society is corrupt, so it doesn't matter who gets killed. It's a propaganda movie that shows no empathy for its characters or for its audience.
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Padilha succumbs to monotonous, hollow flamboyance with his City of God clone.
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall
The moral dilemmas are gripping, but the film takes itself far too seriously to ever connect with us.
Derek Malcolm, This is London
A film that simply doesn't have enough cinematic flair to make it a better than average cops and robbers thriller.
Anthony Quinn, Independent
Padilha gets as close to the daily violence as City of God, though this feels more like a documentary than an epic.
Nigel Andrews, Financial Times
Padilha's style, honed in his hijack documentary Bus 174, is verismo with a vengeance. For two hours the viewer feels as hand-held as the camera, hauled about by the neck.

Read all 18 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Cynthia S

For some reason, I just couldn't get into this movie. It was well done, but just too much craziness going on for me, I guess.
xGary X

A pair of young recruits join Rio De Janeiro's police "Elite Squad" and are given the task of cleaning up a gang controlled slum before a papal visit. Infernal Affairs meets Full Metal Jacket in this Brazilian crime drama about a police unit that's a cross between… More
A pair of young recruits join Rio De Janeiro's police "Elite Squad" and are given the task of cleaning up a gang controlled slum before a papal visit. Infernal Affairs meets Full Metal Jacket in this Brazilian crime drama about a police unit that's a cross between SWAT, Internal Affairs and the Gestapo. They are shown as a bunch of jackbooted thugs who are the only ones who are incorruptible in the face drug money but at the same time their immoral methods make Guantanomo look all warm and fuzzy in comparison. It has a brutal realism in a similar style to City Of God, but it's really missing the heart and likeable characters that made you care what happened to them. Its blase attitude toward some pretty distasteful fascistic attitudes may be a little hard to swallow but it has gritty action aplenty and some pretty powerful scenes. A sequel showing the story from the point of view of civilians caught in the crossfire could be fantastic.
Pierluigi P

If I was going to judge a film only by my moral standpoint I'd say this is another pamphlet that tries to convince people that the only answer to deal with crime is to turn into a neo-fascist robot and crush it from its marrow, the same way central characters have done in some… More
If I was going to judge a film only by my moral standpoint I'd say this is another pamphlet that tries to convince people that the only answer to deal with crime is to turn into a neo-fascist robot and crush it from its marrow, the same way central characters have done in some classic thrillers like "the french connection" or "dirty harry"? making an apology for the unmeasured use of force. But as a regular moviegoer I think this extremely graphic and repulsive dialectical exposition is also absorbent, put me there, right in those crummy battle fields of rio. The war with no truce and the corruption inside the system are shown in an unapologetic documentary style, maybe not alluring to reason, but certainly to my guts.
Dean !

A very good film, although I had hoped for something a little bit more after the trailer. It's more of an action/drama dealing with the drug trade in the slums of Rio in Brazil. It has a good story and is well made and shot with a fair share of brutal, violent action scenes.… More
A very good film, although I had hoped for something a little bit more after the trailer. It's more of an action/drama dealing with the drug trade in the slums of Rio in Brazil. It has a good story and is well made and shot with a fair share of brutal, violent action scenes. Almost feels like a documentary at times it has that raw feel about it. From the same director as the City of God.
Stuart B

Excellent movie. Great acting and story. A movie about Brazils BOPE and the favela in Rio. The harsh reality is that this could almost be a documentary of everyday life there.
Lorenzo v

"On the streets of Rio only the elite survive." 1997, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his occupation while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope comes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. <center>"On the streets of Rio only the elite survive." 1997, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his occupation while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope comes to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. <center>REVIEW</center> Rumor has it that until this film Brazilian cinema tended to portray criminals as endearing types cleverer than police. "Elite Squad" pulls no punches: Cops can be as corrupt as criminals. Such candor has seldom been seen since "Serpico" in long gone 1974. Sadly, profit-seeking films increasingly replace human beings with cost-cutting special effects in tune with our age of technological brainwashing. At least in "Elite Squad" human beings still feel human, however unpleasant they might be. The central figure is Captain Nascimento who has no qualms about torturing or killing criminals and corrupt cops are especially not safe from him. He sees himself as the ideal leader but he is disintegrating under stress and has a glorified vision of his powers which he cannot quite reproduce with his wife at home. Human rights groups will have a field day listing all the violations - but survival is crucial in the nether world, be it Rio or any other place on the planet. Despite its violence and amorality this film has highly effective moments of comic relief. I would like to praise the excellent direction by José Padilha and the generally superb acting, with special plaudits for Wagner Moura, Caio Junqueira and Andre Ramiro in the central roles.
Gordon A

Punchy urban drama set in the favelas of Rio analysing the desperate struggle to survive on all sides of the law. Poverty is the driving force for most immorality but the rich 'playboys' fare little better. Uneasy but thought provoking viewing.
Phil H

Alittle disappointed with this one, I thought it would be much more violent and have tons of action as that's what the trailer and look of the DVD cover kinda impresses on you. I also watched it cos its made by the same man who made 'City of God' which is a fearsome… More
Alittle disappointed with this one, I thought it would be much more violent and have tons of action as that's what the trailer and look of the DVD cover kinda impresses on you. I also watched it cos its made by the same man who made 'City of God' which is a fearsome flick. Its very harsh and gritty looking, the slums of Brazil look menacing and tense, a lethal concrete jungle of crackheads and trigger happy cops where life is more than cheap. The cast are all excellent and the action scenes are all top notch and sweat inducing, problem is there just isn't quite enough of that. You tend to get abit bored and start to yearn for some brutal gangland gun battles (maybe with gangs of gun totting scroats hehe). I know that sounds bad but its just what you expect after 'City of God'. The scenes that do involve the 'elite squad' almost look like sequences from the Rainbow 6 Xbox games :) they are all in black and move in their tactical patterns taking out one perp after another, very cool but not enough of it. Anyway it looks great, you can almost smell the alley odours and taste the drugs being abused, just not as good as COG.
El Hombre I

Some of the stylistic elements may feel a little over-familiar by now, but Tropa de Elite is intelligent, energetic, and immensely watchable. The film narrates the progress of two new police recruits, still with integrity and yet to be exposed to the corruption on which Rio's… More
Some of the stylistic elements may feel a little over-familiar by now, but Tropa de Elite is intelligent, energetic, and immensely watchable. The film narrates the progress of two new police recruits, still with integrity and yet to be exposed to the corruption on which Rio's police service functions, through corruption, compromise and backhanding in order to clean up a slum area in the period leading up to a papal visit. The film itself is very strong carrying good actors, performances, great pacing and excitement, and it manages to give a strong feeling of reality. Tropa De Elite paints a bleak picture of the police in Rio de Janeiro, but it does seem firmly rooted on the side of the elite police. <a href="http://s273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/?action=view&current=tropa-de-elite.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj203/goji9000/tropa-de-elite.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Mike S

This has been referred to as City of God 2, and you don't have to get very far into it to understand why. Beyond the instantly obvious fact that it takes place in the same city, namely Rio De Janeiro, it also depicts the same dark and brutal side of it. What separates the two,… More
This has been referred to as City of God 2, and you don't have to get very far into it to understand why. Beyond the instantly obvious fact that it takes place in the same city, namely Rio De Janeiro, it also depicts the same dark and brutal side of it. What separates the two, however, is that this one is shown from the perspective of the police and their elite squads, as opposed to the criminals and children of the slums. While other films of similiar nature may go into black and white, this is a story that reflect things the way they really are, as in sticking hauntingly close to reality and being honest with the audience. The more of it you watch, the more you also appreciate that you don't live in as crime-laden and violent of a society. For that reason and more, I'd really recommend this, especially to those who've seen the above-mentioned movie.
Stella D

funny, sad, tough and scary. u may not like what u see but it will make u think. the last 30 mins are as intense as anything in city of god
Walter M

With a familiar oversaturated color scheme, "Elite Squad" is a wildly uneven movie with a plot, such as it is, about the ineffective and bumbling police force that never goes into the slums in Rio de Janeiro, that takes almost forever to kick in. These same slums are bereft… More
With a familiar oversaturated color scheme, "Elite Squad" is a wildly uneven movie with a plot, such as it is, about the ineffective and bumbling police force that never goes into the slums in Rio de Janeiro, that takes almost forever to kick in. These same slums are bereft of social services, leaving drug lords like Baiano(Fabio Lago) to provide and cut deals with NGO's. Overall, this would have worked best as black comedy in detailing the tragicomedy of corruption in the regular police and brutality in the paramilitary BOPE who are more interested in killing criminals and clearing out a slum, so the Pope can get a good night's rest, than in protecting the populace. After all, the movie has the perfect straight man in the square-jawed Captain Nascimento(Wagner Moura), about to become a father, who shoots first and tortures later. Regretfully, he is the narrator and sets the tone and agenda. For this reason, it should come as no surprise that the police are not very much liked(For some reason, there seems to be a direct relationship between how well-armed a group is and their sensitivity to criticism.) in a law class that Matias(Andre Ramiro), a new recruit, attends, not telling the others, especially Maria(Fernanda Machado), about his day job. With so many things going bad in the world around them, can you blame people for wanting to smoke a little pot?
Lesley N

Dealing with the complexities from the other side of the track , this tells the story of Captain Nascimento's search for his replacement in Rio's elite police squad, BOPE. A compliment to City of God, and a good film, but I prefered the latter.
Jonny C

Very good police drama from Brazil. The Elite Squad is stylishly directed, very harsh, and well acted. It's about two childhood friends who decide to enlist in Rio's Military Police Department. After juggling their police jobs and college, both make up their minds to try out… More
Very good police drama from Brazil. The Elite Squad is stylishly directed, very harsh, and well acted. It's about two childhood friends who decide to enlist in Rio's Military Police Department. After juggling their police jobs and college, both make up their minds to try out for a Special Operations Squad whose mission is to take down the drug-lords that plague the city. So don't be put off by it's cheesy title as it's anything but that.
Kyle S

A brutal and powerful film. Along with City of God, this is one of the films that put Brazil on the map as far as filmmaking is concerned.
John M

The Film is not as visually stunning as say "City of God" but the cinematography is still rather good. The story is well paced and always moving and the acting is good. The script and direction was excellent, as well as, the performances. The action is extreme and… More
The Film is not as visually stunning as say "City of God" but the cinematography is still rather good. The story is well paced and always moving and the acting is good. The script and direction was excellent, as well as, the performances. The action is extreme and realistic.
Andre T

The Elite Squad (Portuguese: Tropa de Elite, pronounced is a 2007 Brazilian film. The movie is a semi-fictional account of the BOPE (Portuguese: Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais), the Special Police Operations Battalion of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police. It is the second… More
The Elite Squad (Portuguese: Tropa de Elite, pronounced is a 2007 Brazilian film. The movie is a semi-fictional account of the BOPE (Portuguese: Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais), the Special Police Operations Battalion of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police. It is the second feature film and first fiction film of director José Padilha, who had previously directed the acclaimed film Bus 174. The script was written by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Bráulio Mantovani, based on the book Elite da Tropa by sociologist Luiz Eduardo Soares and two former BOPE captains, André Batista and Rodrigo Pimentel. The film won the Golden Bear at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival. Set in 1997, in Rio de Janeiro, Elite Squad follows the lives and exploits of a BOPE captain named Nascimento and his two potential heirs-in-command, Neto Gouveia and André Matias, rising from the ranks of general PMERJ (the state military police) to BOPE (later it is revealed that Nascimento wants to leave the force because his wife is pregnant with his first child). While Neto Gouveia is a quick-tempered, tougher, André Matias refuses to compromise his ideals of peace and equality. The latter is also a student of law at a university in Rio, where his upper class friends are unaware of his job as a policeman, and are clearly shown as "spoiled" kids that tend to see the Police as a repressive unit. During the visit of Pope John Paul II to Rio, the plot unfolds and we are introduced to the day-to-day drug busting operations inside Brazilian favelas, ruled by well-armed and powerful drug lords, led by the Brazilian elite unit, BOPE, and the corruption that affects part of the PMERJ. Superb directing by José Padilha, in one of the best brazilian movies ever made.In my collection now!
Chris M

It's actually not worth seeing for more than one reason.
Kit X

There has been a lot of criticism of Elite Squad for being fascist. Such a perspective is disappointingly superficial. Too many critics have failed to distinguish the narrative perspective from the ideological perspective of the film. Although an admittedly reactionary and… More
There has been a lot of criticism of Elite Squad for being fascist. Such a perspective is disappointingly superficial. Too many critics have failed to distinguish the narrative perspective from the ideological perspective of the film. Although an admittedly reactionary and authoritarian BOPE member, Captain Nascimento, narrates it, the film?s primary criticisms are regarding low pay for police, systemic corruption, and, the middle class?s irresponsible consumption of drugs. As for any feeling that the brutal violence is justified that a viewer may be left with, this has more to do with the fact that in certain extreme circumstances desperate times call for desperate measures. Elite Squad is an impressive and enjoyable film. It is well directed, well acted, and well worth watching.
Ina S

Warning: do not watch if you intend on travelling to Brazil for the first time anytime soon. You might be discouraged, and that would be a shame. This movie shows the ugly, ugly side of the marvelous city - and unfortunately it can't be called anything but extremely realistic.… More
Warning: do not watch if you intend on travelling to Brazil for the first time anytime soon. You might be discouraged, and that would be a shame. This movie shows the ugly, ugly side of the marvelous city - and unfortunately it can't be called anything but extremely realistic. Intense, violent and frustrating in its hopelessness. There are neither good nor bad guys in this film, everybody has their reasons for acting as they do. The psychological dimension of the vicious circle of drugs, poverty and violence is portrayed very vividly, the whole psychology of violence is layed out perfectly. As a whole, this is very hard to stomach - brace yourself for a very harsh ride of a movie.