Where to Watch:
9.7/10
FilmFascination Rating
Wow, it has been a while since I have written a review. I know, I have been missing. As an answer to the questions, I am getting – Yes, I am still watching movies. I love them, will always love them. I just did not find the movie that was worth adding in the Great Movies list. After all, I keep it as a necessity that only the movies that deserve to be added here and not just for the sake of keeping up with my timeline. Finally, I resorted to rewatching ‘City of God’ (Cidade de Deus). The first time I watched this movie; I knew this needed to be added here. For some reason, I did not get time to write about it and finally, I am here today.
City of God, above all, is an energy-packed, riveting, shocking and nasty movie that keeps your adrenaline high with its brilliant storytelling. It is a wild journey. What is wilder is it is based on a true story. It is about a city in Brazil which is known as the ‘Cidade de Deus’. As poverty rolls and ambitions unfold, the thirst for power makes the amateurs (literally kids) with guns increase their fear among the people. We are brought into this world by Rocket, an aspiring photographer who is amidst all the nuisance happening in the city. He is the brother of Goose, the member of the infamous ‘Tender Trio’ that executes local robberies and hold-ups. But Rocket never wanted ‘that’ life for him. ‘I am scared of getting shot’ says Rocket to his friend. You’ll agree to that statement within a beat. There are gunshots on every other street. Bodies and bloodshed on the ground, some intentional and others just because you were at the wrong place, at the wrong time.
There is a scene where the police kill an innocent worker just because he ran away from them, and they are quick to put the gun in his hands to show it as an encounter. Lives are just worthless to them and crimes are more brutal than you can ever imagine. City of God is about how power gets transferred from one gang to another and the lengths one goes to assert their dominance. Guns are so easily available that a child who is 6-7 years old points it for a hold-up and loots a store. It is the upbringing of a person that shapes his life. Unfortunately, growing up in such neighbourhood makes the children here aspire to be someone who you just stay away from (for your safety).
It would be funny to say that one of the most violent movies I have seen is one of the most beautiful ones as well. The camera angles, close-up shots, chase scenes, hand-held camera scenes, and the storytelling. The camera goes back and forth in the storytelling and covers decades in the film. And usually, when a movie tries to cover a timeline of such magnitude, you can feel its length. But not this one. There is just no way you think about anything else while watching this movie. And forget the length, the movie has so much to show but still is so easy to follow! That is an achievement for how the movie is shown using its masterful editing. Editing might be the best I have seen. I don’t think many movies do so much in this sector. Editing alone makes this movie save so much time. There is a scene where the entire story of a single room is told by a fast-forward scene- skipping some parts and also stopping at what is important.
Weirdly, although the movie is brutal, the way it is shot and its style of dividing this story into parts makes it enjoyable and very entertaining. The very first scene of the movie, where the movie flashes multiple scenes in the neighbourhood of the city made me realize that the director knew what he was doing. And this opinion of mine lasted till the end. He is too good with the camera (I mean really ambitious) and especially the plot structure since it is very difficult to keep in place such a chaotic story.
Another thing I love about this movie is the choice of the narrator. Rocket is a guy who never wanted to be a part of this. So, when he introduces a guy to us or tells us about one of the gang conflicts, they are unbiased. We, as viewers, never tend to lean towards a person. And that goes a long way when we have a reliable narrator, unlike movies like Shutter Island where the plot and the narrator are both meant to misguide you.
City of God will always be one of the best films I have seen. The cinematography, the casting and their acting (when none of them are actually trained actors), and the perfect atmosphere the film creates. This is what a Great Movie is supposed to be like. This movie is the epitome of what, even a small budget movie becomes when there is overflowing ambition for making the film. Fernando Meirelles is the person who made all this happen- remember the name. If you still haven’t, I will explicitly urge you to add this to your watchlist. This is a different experience!
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