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Elite Squad

Play trailer Poster for Elite Squad R 2008 1h 54m Action Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
51% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
The captain (Wagner Moura) of a special Brazilian police force considers which of two new recruits (André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira) would make a suitable successor.
Elite Squad

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Brutal, action heavy, Brazilian cop film with a pointless voiceover. Lacks flair, overdoes the violence and is never quite sure where its morals lie.

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Critics Reviews

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V.A. Musetto New York Post 09/19/2008
1/4
For nearly two hours, Padilha bombards viewers with senseless, sickening violence for its own sake. Go to Full Review
Manohla Dargis New York Times 09/19/2008
.5/5
Elite Squad is a relentlessly ugly, unpleasant, often incoherent assault on the senses from Brazil. Go to Full Review
David Fear Time Out 09/17/2008
2/6
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. Go to Full Review
Yasser Medina Cinefilia 02/12/2021
6/10
It keeps me interested with its sample of slum violence and police brutality, but it is affected by a lack of character development and a regular narrative that seems to repeat itself like a crime wave in the favelas. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy 01/13/2009
6/10
A satisfactory enough cop movie, but not one that people will still be name checking years hence Go to Full Review
Robert Koehler Christian Science Monitor 09/25/2008
D
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. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Guilherme M Nov 16 There is one thing that the critics of this movie don't know: they aren't brazillian. This is a brazillian movie, made from brazillian people, for brazillian people, for only brazillian people that know how the police and the drug traffickers works in BRAZIL. The movie depicts BOPE, the elite police squad from Brazil, that does their job: stop banditry. Classic must-see for brazillians, never dissapoints. See more Lucas Z Nov 14 O mais legal é depois de quase 20 anos ler as criticas dos críticos "especializados" falando que o filme é fraco e vai ser esquecido. Vocês erraram feio, o filme virou um ícone no país, as falas são icônicas e levantou debates que duram até hoje. Ja esses críticos acho que ninguém se lembra mais, passaram vergonha. See more Ricardo B Nov 9 Esse é um filme profundamente intrínseco à realidade cultural, social, econômica e política do seu país de origem. Para quem não é brasileiro, "Tropa de Elite" pode parecer um filme gratuitamente violento e marcado por morais ambíguas e questionáveis. Para quem é brasileiro, é um retrato brutalmente realista das relações de poder e opressão entre os órgãos de segurança pública e as classe sociais menos afortunadas, assim como da enraizada e incurável corrupção daqueles que juraram nos proteger. See more Sep 22 Ótimo filme! Mostra uma realidade que, infelizmente, é real. See more Marlene A Sep 17 I truly believe that non-Brazilians might miss out on the full depth of this film. It serves as a powerful lens into the grim realities of police corruption and brutality, alongside the staggering issues of drug trafficking that plague the impoverished communities of Rio de Janeiro. The acting is nothing short of exceptional, drawing you in and making every moment feel raw and authentic. And for anyone searching for a moral in the story, let me clarify: there isn't one—this is simply the harsh reality of life for many. See more The K Aug 10 An absolutely accurate representation of reality in Brazil! This is a masterpiece of Brazilian pop culture. See more Read all reviews
Elite Squad

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis The captain (Wagner Moura) of a special Brazilian police force considers which of two new recruits (André Ramiro, Caio Junqueira) would make a suitable successor.
Director
José Padilha
Producer
Marcos Prado, José Padilha
Screenwriter
José Padilha, Rodrigo Pimentel, Bráulio Mantovani, André Batista, Rodrigo Pimentel
Distributor
IFC Films
Production Co
Universal Pictures, Estúdios Mega, Weinstein Company, Zazen Producoes, Quanta Centro de Produções
Rating
R (Pervasive Language|Drug Content|Strong Violence)
Genre
Action, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
Brazilian Portuguese
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 19, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 10, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$8.1K
Runtime
1h 54m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital