FILM

Alamo Drafthouse  West Oaks presents Only At The Alamo: Fantastic Fest - ELITE SQUAD: THE ENEMY WITHIN.

Director José Padilha
Year 2011
Starring Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos and André Ramiro
Run Time 126min

ELITE SQUAD: THE ENEMY WITHIN is a powerhouse of violence, and the life-changing consequences that happen from the choices we make. There are no second chances.

Lt. Colonel Nascimento (Wagner Moura) is Captain of BOPE, Brazil’s badass elite military squad. Everything that happens on a BOPE mission is Nascimento’s full responsibility. During a rescue mission at Bangu 1, the most violent penitentiary in Rio de Janeiro, one of his squad leaders follows his training and shoots a murderous and vicious prisoner to death. Most rejoice at this except for one man, a famous Human Rights activist in Brazil (Diogo Fraga) who just so happened to be on the scene in the middle of the action.

As time passes, Nascimento is relieved of command and, due to becoming highly popular among the people, gets promoted to Secretary of Security department, and Fraga becomes State Representative. Soon both discover a world of corrupt politics and dirty cops, abusing the vulnerability of the poor living in extreme poverty. Even though sworn enemies, Nascimento and Fraga inadvertently work together to peel back the layers of corruption in pursuit of the truth.

You don’t have to be versed in the original film (also great by the way). Elite Squad: The Enemy Within jumps right in with enough context and back story for the audience to jump in and hit the ground running. And run you will, Elite Squad 2 ranks up there as one of the all-time great crime thrillers, perfectly balanced with strong characters, genuine human emotion, gritty violent action and a zippy full-tilt pace. Imagine GOODFELLAS with less narration and an afro-Brazilian backbeat. (Chase Whale)