City of God (2002) (AKA Cidade de Dues,
God's Town)
"City of God" is one of the most
disturbing, repulsive, sick films I've seen since,
well, since "Gangs
of New York." Filmmakers Katia Lund and Fernando
Meirelles are merciless in their portrayal of the
harsh realities of gang life in the suburban ghettos
of Brazil. But the two take this film one step past
harsh reality into the la-la-land of putrid, Scorsese-esque
debauchery, reveling in the depiction of children
as gangsters, murderers, rapists as well as victims.
It's repulsive.
I sincerely am concerned about anyone
who could watch this piece of cinematic filth and
find it entertaining. The disturbing images of children
being shot in the foot and then murdered, of bullet-ridden
corpses lying in sewage, of women being raped, of
an 11 year old boy shooting people in a brothel and
then giggling with glee is so repugnant as to be nauseating.
I have no doubt that these sort of sickening incidents
occur in the world but this film delights in presenting
them as if they were "art." Like Scorsese, the filmmakers
here it revels in blood like a pig does in shit. Anyone
who finds entertainment in such horror is vile.
The film is full of "cool" and "hip"
images and stylistic maneuvers. This film tries to
amaze you with the sort of typical, Hollywood, cinematic
razzle-dazzle that has become so popular and overplayed
in the post-Tarantino millenium. There are strobe
effects, stop-motion tricks, saturated colors, gritty
grainy images, supposedly cool titles and Techno music
abounding in the film. This isn't a visual feast but
a glutinous pomposity struggling to appear to be "art."
It's typical and sophomoric. This film is made for
college freshman who still think movies have to appear
to be Ecstasy induced eye candy to be entertaining.
I, for one, have moved past that. If you can name
one original idea in this film, I'll reconsider my
opinion. I, however, have no doubt there is not one.
Aside from the cinematic gluttony,
part of the problem is simple; there are just too
many damn characters and storylines here to keep it
straight. This film meanders and skews off on tangents
like a well-medicated Anna Nicole walking backstage
after a Chippendales show. There are so many characters
and so many spider-webs of interpersonal connections
to keep track of that the film becomes an exercise
in genealogy rather than entertainment. And let's
face it, with no recognizable stars and lots of dark-skinned
people, a white guy like myself isn't going to be
able to keep up. Call that racist if you want to,
it is also honest.
Even so, my real problem with this
film is even simpler. If this were the same film but
in English and set in a suburb of Chicago or Detroit,
critics would fling mud at it for days on end. It's
gritty portrayal of youths as murderers, gangsters
and rapists is repulsive and unnecessary. But because
this film is set in a foreign land, and one that is
not often noted for its cinematic qualities, critics
have been deluded by the "novelty" of the film. They
are incapable of judging it honestly.
If there is anything to appreciate
here, it is the acting. Everyone in the film, from
the smallest extra to the main protagonist does a
beautiful job. The kids who play child characters
that are shot in the feet during the middle of the
film are so natural and realistic that I wouldn't
find it hard to believe that they were actually brutally
tortured and indeed maimed to get the responses out
of them that we do see here. They're that realistic!
The actors who play Benny and Rocket are real stand-outs
here. This film has a gritty realism that is merciless
and only Benny and Rocket, portrayed as wonderfully
as they are, offer any real hope of change or angelic
dissonance from the terror of the ghettos. But, alas,
such beauty emerging from the sickness that is this
film cannot elevate it above the cinematic septic
tank that it is.
This film is crap that wallows in
violence and bloodshed and human depravity in a way
that would make even Tarantino and Scorsese ill. It
has almost no value whatsoever except as a reminder
of how filmmakers like Lund and Meirelles exploit
children as a way to make money. This film is nothing
short of child pornography where children are submerged
in a make- believe world of violence rather than sex.
It's unconscionable and depraved.
Note:
Based on a true story. The end credits
show both the actor and the real life person portrayed
in portraits along side the character's name. A news
interview film clip, which is recreated in the body
of the film, is shown during the end credits.
Walter Salles is a co-producer.
The "City of God" in Brazil is an
actual place and filming was done there with many
inhabitants performing for the first time. At no time
is the context of the City of God explained to us
so that we can understand it.
The film has been a big hit at many
film festivals and was nominated for a Golden Globe
for Best Foreign Film.
Lund and Meirelles made a short
film called "Golden Gate" (AKA "Palace II") utilizing
some of the same characters, actors and locations.
Viewed in Austin in March 2003.
