& José Padilha

Elite Squad

8.0

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.

Director: , José Padilha
Main Cast: Wagner Moura, Caio Junqueira, Milhem Cortaz
Soundtrack: , Pedro Bromfman
Cinematography: , Lula Carvalho
Screenplay: , José Padilha

Original title in Brazil is Tropa de Elite.

Cinema Premiere: August 8, 2008

What do English critics think?

English Reviews

3 english reviews of Elite Squad (2007)

1. New York Magazine

7 / 10

The captain narrates in a punchy, journalistic style that gives "Elite Squad" an air of sociological realism
- David Edelstein
nymag.com »
2. Village Voice

7 / 10

The jabbing tone, point-blank violence, and jittery visual syntax will be familiar to any fan of "The Shield".
- Jim Ridley
Village Voice »
3. Variety

Negative, no rating

One-note celebration of violence-for-good that plays like a recruitment film for fascist thugs.
- Jay Weissberg
Variety »

Reviews by critics from other countries

Foreign Reviews

8 foreign reviews of Elite Squad (2007)

1. Dagens Nyheter

8 / 10

Translated from swedish: The actors, led by Wagner Moura as Nascimento, are all outstanding, the situations are vivid, and the questions raised are highly interesting.
- Kerstin Gezelius
Swedish: dn.se »
2. Sveriges Radio

8 / 10

Translated from swedish: Two hours of drumming violence and aggression with a documentary background but with all the effects of the film. Powerful and disturbing.
- Björn Jansson
Swedish: sverigesradio.se »
3. Nöjesguiden

Positive, no rating

Translated from swedish: It is an unpleasant but fascinating sensation.
- Erik Augustin Palm
Swedish: ng.se »
4. Game Reactor

6 / 10

Translated from swedish: Gripping and well-acted police thriller
- Johan Bergström
Swedish: gamereactor.se »
5. Expressen

6 / 10

Translated from swedish: If they had only scrapped the overly explicit and CONSTANTLY present narrative voice, it would have been easier to like this visually explosive film.
- Jenny Rickardson
Swedish: expressen.se »
6. Moviezine

4 / 10

Translated from swedish: The ambition behind 'Tropa de Elite' lands somewhere in the political sphere; the film wants to be able to influence, ask questions and ultimately participate in the change of the seemingly corrupt police force and do something about the increasingly segregating society. Unfortunately, this time the choice was to make its voice heard through the aesthetics of violence.
- Mattias Löfroth
Swedish: moviezine.se »
7. Aftonbladet

4 / 10

Translated from swedish: Yes, there is an enormous amount of action. But at the same time it is heartless and so messily made, that one has been forced to lay on the protagonist's grinding narrative voice over the whole thing.
- Jan-Olov Andersson
Swedish: aftonbladet.se »
8. Svenska Dagbladet

3.3 / 10

Translated from swedish: A violent orgy without nuances
- Hynek Pallas
Swedish: svd.se »