Fantastic Fest 2011: Elite Squad II
I’ve never seen Elite Squad, and the title “Elite Squad II: The Enemy Within” sounds like a straight to VHS action movie from the 80’s. That being said, I fully intended to skip this one. That is, until I heard that the director, Jose Padilha, was going to direct the Robocop remake based off of his work here. Elite Squad II is also being submitted for Oscar consideration. So, curiosity piqued, I entered the theater.
Elite Squad II is not a cheap action movie, it also doesn’t require you to have seen the previous one in order to understand it. In fact, I believe they are dropping the “2” for the American release. The thing Elite Squad most reminded me of was City of God. A glossier, more mainstream version to be sure, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The film follows two charismatic leads on opposite sides of the spectrum. Wagner Moura plays Colonol Nascimento, a right winger who is in charge of a SWAT-like team called BOPE. Irandhir Santos plays Diogo Fraga, a liberal human rights activist who is married to Nascimento’s ex and is stepfather to Nascimento’s son. These two are not friends. However, they have one thing in common; a desire to rid Brazil of crime and police corruption, of which there is no short supply.
Elite Squad II is a sprawling crime epic. The ever changing criminal landscape plays out in a detailed but clear way that never ceases to engage. Padilha fills the film with plenty of political and social satire, which gives me hope that he will be able to do the same for corporate America in Robocop. My only concern is his capability when it comes to action. There isn’t much action in Elite Squad and what is there, while not bad, is pretty mundane.
I also had some issues with the constant narration, provided by Nascimento. For the most part it is unneeded, and takes away from the realism of the movie. These are minor quibbles, though. Elite Squad II should be appealing to just about anyone. It is easily digestible and entertaining, while never dumbing itself down. A perfect marriage of mainstream blockbuster and art house social commentary.
