Elite Squad

A spoiler light review of Elite Squad should begin with tone, because José Padilha understands exactly how this action film ought to feel. Elite Squad gains early credibility from Wagner Moura, whose presence is balanced by the different rhythm of André Ramiro. The foundation of Elite Squad can be stated simply: In 1997 Rio de Janeiro, Captain Nascimento has to find a substitute for his position while trying to take down drug dealers and criminals before the Pope visits. Within its 1h 55m running time, Elite Squad reveals both the benefits and the limits of that disciplined approach.

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Rather than summarise every event in Elite Squad, it is enough to note how Rio places Janeiro under growing pressure. Wagner Moura gives that tension a face, which stops Elite Squad from becoming a mechanical sequence of developments. José Padilha uses Captain Nascimento to widen the stakes of Elite Squad without losing sight of the original problem. Where Pope becomes predictable, Elite Squad recovers interest through the consequences surrounding it.

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Performance is the clearest human asset in Elite Squad, beginning with the committed centre provided by Wagner Moura. André Ramiro keeps Elite Squad from settling into one emotional register by approaching the material from another angle. The presence of Caio Junqueira gives the surrounding world of Elite Squad additional texture without distracting from the main line. When José Padilha holds on a reaction, Elite Squad communicates more efficiently than another explanatory exchange could manage.

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Elite Squad demonstrates the value of set pieces with a clear sense of place by making a technical decision feel inseparable from dramatic intention. For Zazen Produções, the production of Elite Squad balances set pieces with a clear sense of place with enough restraint to keep performances visible. The Brazil roots of Elite Squad lend useful character to physical momentum across the central locations. What makes the finish of Elite Squad convincing is the willingness of its sound and image to step back when a quieter reaction matters more.

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The directorial personality of Elite Squad comes from José Padilha remaining alive in individual scenes and uncertain between them when the premise invites excess. Within Elite Squad, José Padilha repeatedly favours readable choices over attention seeking flourishes. That discipline explains why the cast and craft keep the experience watchable in Elite Squad rather than appearing only in isolated scenes. Where Elite Squad becomes less convincing, too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested, and the loss of control is noticeable without becoming fatal.

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What Elite Squad has to say is rooted in responsibility under pressure and the cost of impulsive courage. The experience of Wagner Moura carries that question through Elite Squad without reducing the character to an example. Pope helps Elite Squad test the theme through consequence instead of explanation. When José Padilha allows ambiguity to remain, Elite Squad becomes more involving than a simple statement of intent.

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For action fans who want spectacle tied to recognisable stakes, Elite Squad is ultimately an uneven film with enough personality to remain interesting. Its most persuasive combination in Elite Squad brings Wagner Moura together with physical momentum under the direction of José Padilha. The fact that too many scenes explain effects the actors have already suggested prevents Elite Squad from being entirely seamless. Even with that reservation, Elite Squad has a clear point of view and enough genuine feeling to justify the journey.