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Film: Elite Squad
Release date: 26th January 2009
Certificate: 18
Running time: 115 mins
Director: José Padilha
Starring: Wagner Moura, André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira, Milhem Cortaz, Fernanda Machado
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama/Thriller
Studio: Optimum
Format: DVD
Country: Brazil/Netherlands/USA/Argentina
Only recently have the cinema population set their sights on Brazil, as they hit their stride in producing award-winning cinema. From the writer that brought you the extraordinary City Of God comes another tale that takes place in the heart of the favelas. A film that, despite being leaked to the online community, where a staggering 11.5 million people claimed to have seen the film prior to its nationwide release, has still managed to become a cultural phenomenon, breaking office records and winning numerous awards in the process.
While City Of God depicted life in a Brazilian slum through the eyes of the very people that lived there, Elite Squad does the reverse, and we are treated to the exploits of Brazilian law enforcement in its purest form. Calculated and brutal.
Elite Squad makes good use of a similar narrative style from that which was used in City Of God. A story told retrospectively through the eyes of Captain Roberto Nascimento (Wagner Moura), a high ranking officer in the B.O.P.E, Brazil’s Special Police Operations Battalion (their equivalent to S.W.A.T.).
Set in 1997, prior to the Pope’s visit to Rio de Janerio, Nascimento is forced to undertake the arduous task of eradicating the high threat of crime and level of drug trafficking within the surrounding favelas of the Pope’s residence.
Understandably reluctant to commit to nightly raids in a community where the establishment of law is an unwelcome presence, Nascimento is burdened with balancing the stress of upholding his personal belief in the policing system against his own safety, and the welfare of his growing family.
He eventually crosses paths with Neto Gouveia (Caio Junqueira) and André Matias (André Ramiro) during a rescue mission. Two promising, young officers serving in the military police where they had hoped to aid their country with honesty and integrity. What they found was a system full of corruption, and bureaucracy which smothers all attempts from them to work for the greater good. From this frustration, they eventually turn to the B.O.P.E. The only regiment they feel is untainted by the dishonesty of the system, and where the task at hand will be completed through means free from the shackles of paperwork and brown nosing.
The three men’s lives are intertwined as Nascimento takes his opportunity to step down and find the man who will act as his replacement. However, he will only abdicate his position if he feels that the right man will carry the ideals of the B.O.P.E and lead the squad as he did...
Principal writer Bráulio Mantovani has created a tale which revolves around the theme of ideals. Because the story is told through the eyes of the law, we can assume that the protagonist Nascimento will be a good person with unequivocal loyalty to the police force. However, Bráulio Mantovani clearly has chosen to avoid this cliché by setting the B.O.P.E apart from the rest of the police force.
Nascimento has a forthright opinion towards the general police of Rio and visibly looks down on them due to their unconcealed collusions with the drug lords, and the bureaucracy which makes them an ineffective system. Throughout the movie, we see instances of how Nascimento and his squad actually work – and that’s in a brutal manner.
Depending on how you choose to perceive things, you are either watching a devastatingly realistic portrayal of how the B.O.P.E work in the face of adversity, or you are watching police brutality at its worst, grossly misusing their powers to get the job done.
Whichever way you choose to look at it, director José Padilha has intelligently chosen to forgo any sugarcoating of how the B.O.P.E carry themselves, and has taken eye witness testimony to inject a sense of realism into his story. The interrogation scenes can be extremely uncomfortable to watch, and we must ask the question if it is even necessary, or more importantly, is it even acceptable.
Nonetheless, the actors and actresses that portray both victim and B.O.P.E are excellent in their individual roles, and over the course of the movie, you begin to feel that with the frustration and cowardice of the policing system, the B.O.P.E’s vicious nature is a welcome and important addition to the lawless favelas.
Wagner Moura, who plays Nascimento, perfectly embodies the character to the very bone. A hard as nails character whose ideals are confounded between the B.O.P.E and his position as a family man. Moura lets it all out with a performance that depicts a man who is a ticking time bomb until he finds his saving grace. With a very clever script conjoined with his performance, we instantly understand the kind of struggle that this man faces, and how it would affect even the toughest of men.
With the characters of Matias and Neto, we get a closer look at two polar opposites of mentalities. Neto is a brash but honest policeman, and with him we see the inner workings of incompetence within the policing system. Matias is intelligent and studies law in university with the intention of fighting crime from behind a desk; however, he begins to also feel frustrated with the negative perception about the authorities from the upper class students that surround him. Students that he feels should have no opinion on the police, since they live far away from the issues but are still his friends. Matias’s ideals are conflicted between his responsibilities as a police officer and his life as a student. We get a complete grouping of attitudes with these three separate characters, ensuring we appreciate the hardship the B.O.P.E face in all walks of life.
The opening scene flawlessly captures the ambience of what we find familiar with South America. An unabashed favela party in full swing, accompanied by upbeat Portuguese music, which house lyrics that fully explain the hostility toward the police. Thanks to the director José Padilha, we instantaneously get a feel for the atmosphere and background between the people who live in the favelas and the police. The resentment is always apparent, and we are immediately thrust into the concept of impending conflict. With an unease that resounds throughout the entire film.
Elite Squad also shares similar cinematography and editing to City Of God with a lot of hand-held shakes and rocky movement, all of which perfectly accompany the action, unrest and drama.
With a highly intelligent script that, according to eye witness accounts, closely mirrors real life; Elite Squad is a controversial and believable masterpiece that does not disappoint from its inception to the ambiguous and suitably abrupt ending. This is a must see film that will indisputably split opinions on the many contentious subjects raised in this movie. Is this glamorization or documentation? Regardless of whether you see the B.O.P.E as heroes (as many of Brazil now does) or representation of a fascist regime, this film will force you to watch with awe what happens when you push men with strong ideologies and those who live without fear. VLN
Film: 9th Company
Release date: 11th June 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 139 mins
Director: Fyodor Bondarchuk
Starring: Artur Smolyaninov, Aleksey Chadov, Konstantin Kryukov, Ivan Kokorin, Mikhail Evlanov
Genre: Action/Drama/History/War
Studio: Contender
Format: DVD
Country: Finland/Russia/Ukraine
Over the years, we've had countless war time epics, covering the many major battles in the timeline of human conflict. We've had Pearl Harbour, the storming of Normandy beach and the Vietnam War. Based on actual events, first time director Fyodor Bondarchuk brings us his award-winning interpretation of the lesser known struggle fought against the sun kissed sands of Afghanistan. Setting a forgotten squad of embittered Russian paratroopers against hundreds of Mujahedeen warriors, this film was hailed as Russia’s answer to Platoon and Full Metal Jacket - this is the 9th Company.
Set during the Soviet War in Afghanistan in 1987, the film begins with a solemn farewell in Siberia, where we are introduced to the main cast as they say goodbye to their family and friends.
A story told in two parts; the first half of the film covers the troop’s preliminary training as they bid farewell to their loved ones and commence boot camp in Uzbekistan.
After the initial hair shaving scene, and the preparatory transition of having your individuality ripped away to settle into the conformity of the armed forces, the focus shifts between each of the main cast members, as we begin to learn more about their own personalities and the inimitable differences between them.
As you would have it, every character starts off “green”, from the baby faced Vorobey (Aleksey Chadov) to the arduous Lyutyy (Artur Smolyaninov). We watch as they push forward through the requisite assault course and rifle training, under the brutal tutelage of Warrant Officer Dygalo (Mikhail Porechenkov) - a drill instructor edging toward insanity - only to emerge from the other end with AK-47 in one hand, hammer and sickle in the other, and the iron cross burnt chaotically into their hearts.
At the height of the camaraderie, a bond which spawns from the odd fist fight, phallic shaped explosives, and an almighty scene where they ultimately tune into each other’s workings, they finally realise it was teamwork that was missing all along. As well as amusing fiddling with the local slut, the film shifts up a gear as the company is shipped to the Khost province in Afghanistan under the command of Khokol (played by Fyodor Bondarchuk himself).
They are split up, with the crux of them ordered to defend/secure a supply route near the Pakistani border. Unbeknownst to them, the war in Afghanistan had ended during their mission, and they are left on Hill 3234 as the rest of the Russian forces begin to withdraw. With the security of their location compromised, the now forgotten company defend themselves against wave after wave of Mujahedeen, leading to a truly epic and bloody battle…
Fans of war epics should be citing many comparisons about now, especially to the tune of Full Metal Jacket. The beginning scenes mirror the genius drill instructions giving by R. Lee Ermey, however, the major difference being that inevitably Russians don’t mess about.
What Bondarchuk has chosen to focus on in his attempt at boot camp is the raw brutality of how they do it. Discipline is beaten into the juvenile squad in effect to diminish their arrogance, and in essence, what you end up watching in the first half of the film is a group of boys turn into men who kill. The director has decided to forgo the opportunity to make any sort of hardcore political statement in regard to ‘Russia’s Vietnam’, and instead he has woven together a tale of brotherhood and integrity that that shines against the vicious nature of conflict. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s thrown in some jaw-dropping action sequences for good measure.
Of course, this is a tried and tested concept - done over and over again in films such as Saving Private Ryan - but the issue is whether 9th Company stands out amongst the elite.
The film is wonderfully cast. The young actors are brilliant in their individual roles, and play up well to their intended clichés. You have the standard good, bad and ugly characters you would expect from a war film. Along with the previously mentioned, you also have the cool, Gioconda (Konstantin Kryukov); the bully, Chugun (Ivan Kokorin); and the knowledgeable, Ryaba (Mikhail Evlanov). What is quite peculiar but without doubt befitting of the film is that even though the characters are arguably stereotypes, most of them have interesting backgrounds, which makes it easier for the viewer to warm to them during the course of the film. For instance, Gioconda is presumably a middle class painter, while contrasting this, Lyutyy is homeless. As you would expect, the two butt heads. Chugun is an unloved bully, while the Drill Sergeant, Dygalo, who would have mutilated Gomer Pile, is also a troubled man dealing with post traumatic stress disorder. All this adds to the human focus of the film and keeps the characters fresh.
It is clear the actors have put a lot of effort into their performances. Motions are infused with a sort of Russian vigour and spirit, which clearly sets them apart from the armed forces we are used to seeing. There are times when the strain and blighting emotion is clearly visible on the actors’ faces. They bark their soviet principles with strength and passion, and it only makes one think that this is a far cry compared to the stoic nature of their American counterparts.
It feels as if Lyutyy is the central character, but what is difficult is that (especially toward the end) it is never quite clear who the main protagonist is. Audiences may find it difficult to warm to one particular character since they all have such redeeming qualities. This does makes sense if Bondarchuk wishes for us to see the group as one unit working together, but it does feel like a missed opportunity when he could have taken full advantage of characters such as Vorobey for extra emotional impact.
Compared to cinema today, the locations are a tad over familiar. The desert is another tried and tested concept that can be tiresome to watch, but colour is put to good use here. Arguably, there are only really two colours in this film: blue/grey combo for the first half of the film and a sharp orange for the second half. The obvious change in colour (which is hard to miss around the hour mark) signals a stark change in environment for the cast. It neatly adds to the atmosphere of suffocating heat and tension in Afghanistan, as well as providing action sequences more reason to kick up dust for increased chaos.
The action here is very Hollywood, which is by no means a horrible thing. It makes full use of the arduous terrain, with the big budget stretched to its limit to provide us with some truly blockbuster-esque set-pieces involving plenty of explosions, gunfights, bloodshed, and ample adrenaline pumped screaming.
The film is beautiful to watch throughout. Cinematography is top notch. There is plenty of slow-mo, extreme close ups and the old ‘camera on the rifle’ trick to keep the film visually stimulating and interesting. Music hits in all the right places, and is epic as you would expect. During the final battle, all of this coupled together will no doubt have you on the edge of your seat.
One of the major criticisms levelled at this film is that it’s not an accurate representation of actual events. This is a war flick that shows a brotherhood in peril rather for entertainment value rather than a historical drama. An impressive debut for first time director Fyodor Bondarchuk that is well worth watching, even if just for the explosive and action-packed conclusion. VLN
Film: Memories Of Matsuko
Release date: 14th February 2011
Certificate: 15
Running time: 130 mins
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Starring: Miki Nakatani, Eita, Yusuke Iseya, Teruyuki Kagawa, YosiYosi Arakawa
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Fantasy/Musical/Mystery
Studio: Third Window
Format: Blu-ray
Country: Japan
From the heart and mind of multi award-winning Japanese director Tetsuya Nakashima - famed for the critically acclaimed Kamikaze Girls and, more recently, the Oscar-nominated Confessions - comes a visually stunning and peculiar musical- drama with a gritty undertone bubbling beneath its cherry blossom surface.
Do not let the genre fool you; this is far from the family friendly musical we have all come to know (and possibly love). Think more Sweeney Todd as opposed to Grease. The word “sex” is echoed three times within the opening minutes of Memories Of Matsuko, so PG this is not.
The resonance of such profanity can be heralded to Sho; a down-and-out, 20-year-old man drowning in a sea of porn and alcohol. He is quickly dumped by his current squeeze for living a somewhat meaningless existence.
After a particularly vice-filled night to dampen his heartbreak, he is awoken by his father, Norio, in a surprise visit. Norio, who is indifferent to the squalor of his son’s lifestyle, asks Sho for one simple favor. That is to clean the apartment of Matsuko Kawajiri, a 53-year-old, overweight and unkempt woman living as a worthless recluse. And to Sho, the aunt he never knew existed, until she was found murdered in cold blood.
From this point on, the story is told retrospectively, with Sho learning of his aunt’s life through the many different colorful characters he meets, whose lives are intricately linked with the memory of Matsuko. Beginning with the comic relief, tattooed neighbour and police detective, we jump back in time to Matsuko’s early years as a young, attractive school teacher. Matsuko’s story begins to unravel as the film jumps between the present day and the past.
From her childhood days, her rocky relationship with her father and sister, her downfall as a teacher, to her forays into abusive relationships, prostitution, prison, murder, love, friendship and salvation. We soon learn of every harrowing detail, which will eventually lead to her breaking point, and ultimate demise...
On the surface, Memories Of Matsuko is a simple story of love, loss and redemption told through bright, overly saturated colours and the occasional sing song. Matsuko (Miki Nakatini) drives the storyline as the naïve, head-in-the-clouds princess searching for that one true love, while trudging through the heartbreakers and rejects. However, writer and director Tetsuya Nakashima has taken this two-dimensional cliché and invigorated it with a genuine sense of humanity and life. He has in turn contributed a perfect reminder of one very important aspect of filmmaking - extraordinarily good storytelling!
Miki Nakatani’s portrayal of troubled heroine Matsuko Kawajiri is beyond any reasonable doubt, simply awe inspiring, and well-deserving of the six separate Best Actress awards she has received for such a complex character. She is able to capture the fundamental nature of a woman who is caught in a downward spiral, beginning with such captivating innocence as a young adult. We are able to understand the basis of why her character will ultimately end up the way she does, starting with the simple psychological fodder of ‘daddy issues’.
The neglect she receives from her father (who favours her over her sick sister) is a surprisingly relatable issue in today’s world. It is the strong yet simple ideal that Tetsuya Nakashima plays off, to bestow a sense of empathy and sympathy to a character who is, in effect, an extremely needy and, at times, self-absorbed person.
But it is because of the multiple dimensions this character has that Miki Nakatani proves her worth as a diverse actress. As Matsuko grows from the stereotypically cute young woman, both her character and her performance begin to gradually mature.
The constant strive to please people in the hope that it leads to acceptance is upheld as the backbone of such a character, and Miki does exceptionally well to provide the obligatory three dimensions throughout the film. But all is well and good saying she can smile or cry when the time is right, what is actually the most admirable aspect of Miki Nakatani’s performance is the significance of sincere emotion, charm and the authentic sense of confusion she injects into a character who is put into situations none of us would wish upon ourselves.
Her emotions are juxtaposed against her scenarios; so the subtleties like smiling softly after being beaten are visual oxymoron’s that make us forget that Matsuko is just a character in a film, and instead we see heartfelt performances from all the characters, that transcends past the screen and touches our hearts. We begin to realise that Matsuko is human, and feels as we would feel if we were to face blow after blow, devoid of any salvation.
If this sounds like you will be watching a human train wreck, then admittedly it is just that. As things go from bad to worse in Matsuko’s life, we find out through her eyes how she must feel despised (which is made clear at the beginning of the film when she utters: “Please forgive me for being born”) from the people she has hurt to her feelings of rejection. What Tetsuya Nakashima weaves from this is a cast of characters that prove the complete opposite.
This is where the one grumble rears its ugly head. A lot of the supporting characters, while heartfelt and very enjoyable to watch, can also be a tad over exaggerated. This is maybe intended to fool viewers into a false sense of security, especially coupled with the cartoony visuals; however, some characters feel like caricatures of people they should have been, with the saying ‘less is more’ applying.
As mentioned before, the visuals are CGI heavy, utilizing animation and quirky sound effects. All of this is put to good use alongside some very unusual cinematography. While definitely not everybody’s cup of tea, in the context of the subject matter being tackled in the film; it is clear that this is all intended to be a bizarre contrast to the very adult subject matter.
Diving deeper into the cinematography, it is clear that a lot of thought has been put into blending the emotion and colour together. Like a lot of Asian cinema, colour is vital. So like with Hero or Lady Vengeance, you will get your darker more sombre colours with your sad scenes, and your bright over-the-top colours and over exposure in happy scenes.
The same goes for the musical sequences; while very cute, catchy and enjoyable, coupled together with very applicable and literal lyrics, it, at times, can actually get quite awkward, especially if you’re a testosterone-filled male. The cutesy animations and bubblegum lyrics can make any adult feel fairly embarrassed if they are caught watching this alone. However, given a chance you will find that these musical sequences are actually a very inventive, and a creative muse for exceptional storytelling.
With an award from the Japanese Academy for Best Music Score; the music is intelligently interwoven into the story. So don’t expect to see hundreds of characters bursting into random harmonies. But instead the music acts more like a backing track to Matsuko’s life. Matsuko does not generally ‘sing’ but instead she ‘sings along’ to sometimes funny, or sometimes racy, but always genuinely intimate and applicable songs that pack one hell of an emotive punch.
Memories Of Matsuko is an epic tale of harrowing humanity, filled with lessons of life and unconditional love. Tetsuya Nakashima has woven together an irrefutable blend of good storytelling and interesting visuals to bring you a story that will touch you from the beginning to the end. If you enjoyed films like Amelie then be sure to give this a try. VLN
