City of God

This beautifully raw film, City of God, depicting the bloody past of Rio de Janeiro's most dangerous and oldest slum, is exactly the kind of drama that hits you to the core. And not only in form or subject matter, but above all in how incredibly authentic and realistic it is. That's the way movies based on true events should be made, so that their realness cries out to all corners of the world. (95%) (07/03/2023)

The City of Gods is an extraordinary film, primarily because of its content, depicting poverty in the slums on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro and the enormous criminality that exists in this area. It is based on a true story. In the past, the problem of impoverished neighborhoods was even greater. The notorious Death Squads (EM) originated in Brazil, and the abbreviation comes from the name of the motorized police brigades, whose members illegally massacred members of children's gangs in the suburbs of Brazilian cities in the 60s. The film's strengths lie in its modern editing, good camera work, screenplay, and performances by completely unseen actors in Europe. There is nothing major that can be criticized about the film. Overall impression: 95%. (28/10/2007)

The film attacks the viewer with its rawness, with everything presented incredibly realistically, creating an almost documentary-like impression. This is Rio de Janeiro, this is the city where death can come just because someone has too much power. A tough drama that heavily relies on the fact that such slums in Brazil are likely real. Sometimes you feel like it really is. The scenes with children are truly intense. It is difficult to get into the story because the intensity with which the film affects you will probably shock you and take your breath away. It is quite challenging to identify with the characters. (17/02/2014)

It chills one to the bone. It chills me to see how young children are quite easily seduced into the path of crime by watching their "role models" – teenage murderers. A little boy can kill with complete calmness and even with a kind of joy, a bunch of tiny, faceless brats raid shops with a gun in their hands as if they were going to play football. City of God is an unsentimental look at life in the slums, where, due to the difficult social situation and lack of education, crime and drugs are a common part of the landscape and where gang affiliation is more than the law. It does not lecture, it does not provide instructions for solving the problem, it just impressively shows the harsh reality that is unfortunately not only inherent to Brazilian metropolises. It’s a technically skilled (top-notch cinematography and editing) cheerless spectacle, in which you don’t, of course, get a redemptive catharsis, a positive outcome. And the final caption “Based on a true story” says it all. PS: In the closing credits, there is a short scene with the real life version of one of the film's characters, Knockout Ned, saying exactly the same words that are heard in the film. (31/07/2005)

Now. that's what I call proper craftsmanship! The directors literally jumped in headfirst to present a true hell on earth in the most cruel, uncompromising, and "unfortunately" the most realistic point of view. What's more, they didn’t need stars or pools of blood. No, what makes this film so compelling is the shocking fact that this is how life is really lived, and an amazing portrayal of characters as they try to deal with the events around them in the only way possible, with a gun always at hand. Such a film could be interesting even without a plot, but City of God has a very good one, with plenty of action and keeps a very high pace throughout. After the closing credits, I was simply amazed and captivated by the quality and power of the story, which made me even more grateful that I was born here in Czechia, where kids don't get a shotgun or a membership in a killer gang for their tenth birthday. (09/05/2011)