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00:00Brazilian cinema, in the eyes of many international audiences, is often associated with images of violence, crime, and the chaos of the favelas in Rio de Janeiro.
00:10A vivid and brutally realistic portrait of some of the world's poorest and most dangerous communities is brought to life in the cinematic masterpiece City of God, 2002.
00:21The film depicts the rise of organized crime in the Cidade da Deus favela from the late 1960s to the early 1980s as seen through the eyes of Rocket, a young man with aspirations of becoming a photographer.
00:35This review contains plot details. Please come back later if you wish to experience the film without spoilers.
00:42City of God is an epic Brazilian crime film released in 2002, co-directed by Fernando Mareles and Katia Lund.
00:51Based on the 1997 novel of the same name by Paulo Linz, the film offers one of the most raw and multi-dimensional portrayals of life on the margins of society.
01:01Drawing from a true story, City of God spans two decades and chronicles the rise and clash of rival street gangs in the Cidade da Deus neighborhood.
01:11Ironically named the City of God, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro.
01:16The film opens with a striking scene of a knife being sharpened to slaughter a chicken.
01:21A powerful metaphor crafted by the directors, symbolizing how fragile life is in the City of God and how anyone can be killed at any moment.
01:30The main setting is Cidade da Deus, a favela established in the 1960s to relocate unwanted residents from central Rio.
01:39This community exists almost entirely outside the reach of law and order.
01:44Most of its inhabitants are criminals, the homeless or people living in extreme poverty.
01:49In the opening sequence, a group of young teenagers armed with guns chases down a chicken that is broken free.
01:57The chaotic pursuit spills onto the streets and ends in a sudden standoff with the police.
02:03It's a vivid demonstration that violence in this place can erupt anywhere, at any time.
02:08The film then rewinds to the past and introduces its two central characters, Rocket and Lil Dice.
02:15Two lives shaped in stark contrast under the same brutal conditions.
02:19Both are born into a slum, without hope, without future, and seemingly without escape.
02:24Yet they walk vastly different paths through the relentless hardship of the City of God.
02:29The story begins with the legend of the Tender Trio, the original three little heroes of the early days of Cidade da Deus, back when the favela was still relatively calm in the 1960s.
02:41The group included Shaggy, Clipper, and Goose, the latter being Rocket's older brother.
02:47At this time, Lil Dice was just a mischievous boy, but he was already fascinated by the criminal exploits of the Tender Trio, who primarily committed robberies targeting delivery trucks and wealthy homes.
02:59Unlike the violent street gangs that would rise later, the Tender Trio operated under a loose code.
03:05They weren't excessively cruel and mainly stole to gather enough money to escape the hopeless slum life.
03:11Lil Dice followed them from a distance, observing, learning, and absorbing the way of the streets.
03:17One day, the boy proposed a more daring plan, robbing a brothel to make quick money.
03:23The heist went smoothly, and the trio escaped with the cash.
03:27However, what followed revealed a disturbing truth.
03:31Before the robbery, the trio had instructed Lil Dice to wait outside and act as lookout.
03:37But instead of standing guard, Lil Dice fired a gunshot into the brothel, creating a diversion that allowed the trio to escape, only to sneak back in afterward and murder everyone inside.
03:49This event was the first clear glimpse into Lil Dice's true nature, cunning, manipulative, and alarmingly bloodthirsty.
03:59That moment marked the beginning of a darker era in Sadat de Deus' criminal landscape.
04:04The murders drew the attention of the authorities, triggering a brutal crackdown on crime.
04:09The fate of the Tender Trio was inevitable.
04:12Shaggy and Clipper were both killed in the aftermath.
04:15And Goose, Rocket's brother, ultimately died at the hands of the very boy who once idolized them, Lil Dice himself.
04:23This pivotal sequence not only highlights the early seeds of Lil Dice's monstrous ambition.
04:29The film transitions into a new decade, the 1970s.
04:33Rocket has now become a teenager with a deep passion for photography, while Lil Dice has evolved into a ruthless crime lord.
04:40Surrounded by a new generation of armed children raised in the slums, Lil Dice solidifies his dominance over Sadat de Deus through a reign of terror.
04:50He rebrands himself as Lil Zay.
04:53A name meant to signal his rise to absolute power in the burying of his chaotic, juvenile past.
05:07Under Lil Zay's rule, Cidad de Deus, becomes a dystopian microstate.
05:14He enforces a brutal order through intimidation, violence, and bribes to corrupt police officers, creating what can be described as a parasitic regime.
05:24A fragile stability held together by fear and blood.
05:28But as always, no king rules without rivals.
05:32Zay's main adversary is Carrot, leader of a rival drug faction who controls another portion of the favela.
05:40Unlike Zay, Carrot is diplomatic and avoids confrontation whenever possible.
05:45Yet both men share the same goal, monopolizing the drug trade in Cidad de Deus.
05:51The rivalry reaches its boiling point with the tragic death of Benny, Zay, Nenisiya's closest friend, and the only person capable of tempering his violent tendencies.
06:03Based on Benny's diplomacy, the rival gangs of Cidad de Deus were able to maintain a fragile peace for a time.
06:10But with Benny's death, everything unraveled.
06:13Lil Zay lost his moral anchor.
06:15Now unchecked and unrestrained, descended further into madness and cruelty.
06:20Benny was a rare figure in this brutal world.
06:23A free spirit who grew weary of the endless cycle of violence and bloodshed.
06:28He longed to break free and live a peaceful life with the woman he loved.
06:33In a final bid to leave it all behind, Benny hosted a farewell party, hoping to say goodbye to his life of crime.
06:41But fate had other plans.
06:43What was meant to be a celebration of freedom turned into a tragic farewell.
06:48Benny was killed that night, and with his death, hope seemed to vanish.
06:52That moment became the spark for a full-scale gang war between Lil Zay and Carrot's faction.
06:58With no more diplomacy, and no one left to mediate, Cidad de Deus spiraled into chaos.
07:04In a place like this, even the line between good and evil becomes blurred.
07:09Caught in the middle of this inferno is Rocket.
07:11He doesn't want to be a gangster, nor does he want to be a victim.
07:15He's simply a boy with a camera, clinging to the hope that he might escape through his passion for photography.
07:20And just when everything seems to be closing in, a chance encounter at a newspaper office offers Rocket a lifeline.
07:27A rare opportunity to break free from the cycle and choose a different path.
07:31The later part of City of God depicts the power struggle in Cidade de Deus.
07:37Without Benny, Lil Zay brazenly takes away the girlfriend of Knockout Ned.
07:42A regular man with a past in the military and former sharpshooting skills.
07:47Lil Zay's recklessness leads to a tragic disaster for Ned.
07:52He kills his uncle, his younger brother, and opens fire mercilessly into Ned's house.
07:57This event allows Carrot to gain a new ally as Ned joins him, ready to massacre Lil Zay's faction.
08:05It can be said that Ned is a victim of darkness, ultimately leading to his own destruction.
08:10He represents the tragedy of ideals at the bottom of society, corrupted by environment.
08:16Ned is a man of integrity, kindness and strong principles.
08:20But he gets pulled into the war with Lil Zay, sinking deeper and deeper into a bloodthirsty spiral.
08:26It was too late to turn back.
08:29In the end, out of kindness, he tries to save a child comrade who has been shot.
08:33But Ned is killed by that very child.
08:36Who later reveals that Ned had killed his father during a robbery with Carrot.
08:40And so, fate eventually led Ned to his own death.
08:44The ending of the film is the brutal war that brings closure to Lil Zay.
08:48Like a cycle, perhaps he could never imagine what his death would be like.
08:53Falling on the battlefield or collapsing in a hail of bullets.
08:56But in the end, Lil Zay is killed by the group of children who once followed him.
09:01Just like in the past, he was the one who shot and killed Goose, Rocket's brother.
09:06The beginning and the end intertwine.
09:08And Lil Zay's unexpected, fateful death may represent a new rebirth for the City of God.
09:15The final scene, with dead bodies lying across the street, is a recreation based on actual
09:20photographs taken after the real drug war that occurred at that time.
09:24City of God captivates us with its raw energy and vibrancy.
09:28The performances by the cast are incredibly authentic and convincing.
09:32Most of the actors were non-professionals, the only exception being S.E.U. Jorge, a famous
09:38Brazilian samba artist who played the role of knockout Ned's uncle.
09:42The director employed outstanding cinematographic techniques.
09:46Many scenes appear desaturated and carry a classic, high-contrast look, creating a gritty visual aesthetic.
09:53The film was mostly not shot in the actual Cidade de Deus favela, because it was deemed too dangerous.
09:59Instead, filming took place in a nearby, less risky area.
10:04The screenplay is boldly edited, delivering a dark, intense atmosphere.
10:09The music blends in seamlessly.
10:11And director Fernando Mareles captures certain haunting moments without overwhelming the audience.
10:16This is a crime film that follows the rules of the City of God, but with no God in it.
10:22Originally, the favela was meant to be a safe and peaceful place for the poor.
10:26But in reality, violence and drugs transformed it into a nightmare.
10:30It's as if God had abandoned it, leaving people to struggle and survive in a world filled with crime, despair and hopelessness.
10:38The review ends here.
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10:44See you in the next video.
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