The Elite Squad 2
Encyclopedia
Elite Squad 2 is a 2010 Brazilian film directed and produced by José Padilha
, starring Wagner Moura
. It is a sequel of the 2007 film The Elite Squad. Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is a continuation of the semi-fictional account of the BOPE
, the Special Police Operations Battalion of the Rio de Janeiro
Military Police, with a focus on the relationship between law enforcement and politics. The film was released in Brazil
on October 8, 2010.
Having enjoyed public and critical acclaim, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is the all-time largest box office ticket seller and highest-grossing film in Brazil, ahead of Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
and Avatar, respectively. The film has been selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
at the 84th Academy Awards
.
Tropa de Elite 2 is scheduled to be released in the U.S.A. by Variance Films on November 11, under the title The Elite Squad: The Enemy Within.
Roberto Nascimento, who, after a disastrous BOPE operation on a prison riot
, gets caught in a bloody political dispute that involves not only the Public Safety Department, the State governor and State Military Police
, but also paramilitary
groups known as milícias
. The film also shows the family issues of Nascimento, with his now adolescent son gradually moving away from him due to his job and the influence of his stepfather, Diogo Fraga.
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within focuses more on Nascimento's family relations than Elite Squad. In Wagner Moura's words: "Nascimento matures in this film, which has to do with his concept of conscience and his age."
. In Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, Nascimento is 40 years old and has gray hair. André Ramiro is also back as Captain André Matias (promoted from Officer Cadet
); the actor was prepped by professionals from the CATI-SWAT
to give orders to the cops on-screen. Musician and actor Seu Jorge
(who played Mané Galinha in Cidade de Deus) was invited by director José Padilha to act as one of the antagonists, Beirada; Maria Ribeiro
is also back as Roseane, who is no longer married to Nascimento, but to a left wing Congressman
. Tainá Müller, who was not in the first film, plays Clara, representing the media. Sandro Rocha, who had little on-screen time during the first film, has a bigger role now, playing Major
Rocha, known as Russo (Russian), boss of the militia.
in Rio, coordinated by Paulo Storani, security adviser, and with the participation of members from BOPE and CATI. André Ramiro said, "They treated us like real cops. No 'I'm-too-important'. I also had to say 'No, sir. Yes, sir'". Wagner Moura had Jiu-Jitsu lessons from fighter Rickson Gracie
. The training helped bring a degree of reality to the film; actors had to learn the proper techniques to handle weapons and also action strategies in risk-zones, besides a strong fitness program, laid heavy on those who weren't in the first movie.
, in the Botafogo
borough, with the use of two helicopters and heavy guns, leading to next-door neighbors thinking it was a real shoot-out. For the scenes happening at the Bangu
1 prison, forty professionals worked during two months constructing a 500m² detention center, based on notations from art director Tiago Marques about the place, since they didn't get clearance to take pictures of the real building. The scenes at the prison were recorded during the four days of the 2010 carnival. One of the film scenes would be shot at the House of Congress in Brasília
, but production couldn't get permission. A fake Ethics Committee was built inside the Federation of Industries of Rio de Janeiro, recording took place at April 15. Filming was done in the same month and the film went to post-production.
also helped in avoiding the leak. The final picture, still with no sound, was put in a safe.
'" and went "even deeper on the realism and toughness of the social scenario in Rio de Janeiro, stained by violence and corruption in all its forms". On UOL
, Alessandro Giannini praised Wagner Moura's portrayal of Nascimento and affirmed that the film is more "consistent and cohesive" than the first one and that "there is no room for doubts or ambiguities". Carla Navarrete wrote on Yahoo! that "the plot is much more complex, as Padilha's direction is more firm. Wagner Moura is as sharp as ever with his character. Aged, his Nascimento brings a chilling dramatic background". Marcelo Forlani from the website Omelete, ranked the film four out of five, citing that "'Squad 2', like the first, is still violent, still polemic, still punching at the same button" and that "the comic relief moments work so well because the rest of the movie is packed with action and tension". On MSN
, Karen Lemos wrote that the flim "re-writes the concepts brought about by the first movie: instead of crooks, the police; and instead of the law, corruption". Journalist André Forastieri, writing on his blog for the R7
news portal, said he was disappointed with the final result: "Of course a movie is not an academic thesis (...). The actors are good. Wagner Moura shines. The dialogues sparkle. But the most powerful moments are softened by the never-ending argument, producing the overall feeling of impotence. Like almost all sequels, this one can't help but diminish the first movie's value".
in Summer 2011.
. Since, it has screened at several festivals, including Austin's Fantastic Fest. The film will be released in New York City
on November 11th, 2011 and in Los Angeles
on November 18th, 2011 .
José Padilha
José Padilha is an award-winning Brazilian film director and producer.Padilha emerged onto the Brazilian movie scene with his first feature film Bus 174. In 2007, Padilha directed The Elite Squad , his first fictional film. The film was a commercial and critical success, seen by more than 11...
, starring Wagner Moura
Wagner Moura
Wagner Maniçoba Moura is a Brazilian film, television and stage actor. Moura graduated in journalism at Universidade Federal da Bahia but decided to become an actor....
. It is a sequel of the 2007 film The Elite Squad. Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is a continuation of the semi-fictional account of the BOPE
BOPE
Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais , mostly known by its acronym BOPE, is a special forces unit of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil....
, the Special Police Operations Battalion of the Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
Military Police, with a focus on the relationship between law enforcement and politics. The film was released in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
on October 8, 2010.
Having enjoyed public and critical acclaim, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is the all-time largest box office ticket seller and highest-grossing film in Brazil, ahead of Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands is a 1976 comedy film directed by Bruno Barreto. Based on the novel of the same name by Jorge Amado, it takes place in 1940s Bahia. It stars Sônia Braga, José Wilker, and Mauro Mendonça in the leading roles...
and Avatar, respectively. The film has been selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
at the 84th Academy Awards
84th Academy Awards
The 84th Academy Awards ceremony will honor the best films of 2011 and will take place on February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California. It will be televised in the United States on ABC. The host was originally going to be Eddie Murphy. However, after Brett Ratner resigned as...
.
Tropa de Elite 2 is scheduled to be released in the U.S.A. by Variance Films on November 11, under the title The Elite Squad: The Enemy Within.
Plot
The Elite Squad: The Enemy Within plot, set thirteen years after the events of the first film resolves around the maturing of former Captain and now Lt. Col.Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Roberto Nascimento, who, after a disastrous BOPE operation on a prison riot
Prison riot
A prison riot is an act of concerted defiance or disorder by a group of prisoners against the prison administrators, prison officers, or other groups of prisoners in attempt to force change or express a grievance....
, gets caught in a bloody political dispute that involves not only the Public Safety Department, the State governor and State Military Police
Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State like other military polices in Brazil is a reserve and ancillary force of the Brazilian Army, and part of the System of Public Security and Brazilian Social Protection...
, but also paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
groups known as milícias
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. The film also shows the family issues of Nascimento, with his now adolescent son gradually moving away from him due to his job and the influence of his stepfather, Diogo Fraga.
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within focuses more on Nascimento's family relations than Elite Squad. In Wagner Moura's words: "Nascimento matures in this film, which has to do with his concept of conscience and his age."
Casting and characters
The first member to be acknowledged was Wagner Moura, who returns with his character Roberto Nascimento, now promoted from Captain to Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. In Elite Squad: The Enemy Within, Nascimento is 40 years old and has gray hair. André Ramiro is also back as Captain André Matias (promoted from Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
); the actor was prepped by professionals from the CATI-SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
to give orders to the cops on-screen. Musician and actor Seu Jorge
Seu Jorge
Seu Jorge is a Brazilian musician, singer/songwriter and actor. Born Jorge Mário da Silva, he was raised in a favela in the city of Belford Roxo in the Baixada Fluminense region of Rio de Janeiro state. He is considered by his fans a renewer of Brazilian pop samba...
(who played Mané Galinha in Cidade de Deus) was invited by director José Padilha to act as one of the antagonists, Beirada; Maria Ribeiro
Maria Ribeiro
Maria do Amaral Ribeiro is a Brazilian actress.- Biography :He worked in soap operas such as A Escrava Isaura, playing the beautiful Malvina, and also Luz do Sol, playing Zoé. He also made the film the young Anamaria Tolerância, directed by Carlos Gerbase gaucho.He had a son with ex-husband Paulo...
is also back as Roseane, who is no longer married to Nascimento, but to a left wing Congressman
National Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
. Tainá Müller, who was not in the first film, plays Clara, representing the media. Sandro Rocha, who had little on-screen time during the first film, has a bigger role now, playing Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Rocha, known as Russo (Russian), boss of the militia.
Cast preparation
Between November and December 2009, before recording for the film started, all the actors - except Maria Ribeiro, pregnant at the time - had a training routine, led by Fátima Toledo. Part of the cast also went through a boot campTraining camp
A training camp is a place, usually with an army-camp-type environment, where people go to learn skills, usually skills involving physical action rather than book subjects, usually for an armed force or an action sport...
in Rio, coordinated by Paulo Storani, security adviser, and with the participation of members from BOPE and CATI. André Ramiro said, "They treated us like real cops. No 'I'm-too-important'. I also had to say 'No, sir. Yes, sir'". Wagner Moura had Jiu-Jitsu lessons from fighter Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie
Rickson Gracie is a Brazilian 8th degree black and red belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a retired mixed martial artist. He is a member of the Gracie family: the son of Hélio Gracie, brother to Rorion and Relson Gracie, and half-brother to Rolker, Royce, Robin and Royler Gracie.-Biography:Rickson...
. The training helped bring a degree of reality to the film; actors had to learn the proper techniques to handle weapons and also action strategies in risk-zones, besides a strong fitness program, laid heavy on those who weren't in the first movie.
Filming and post-production
Recording started on January 25 of 2010, with the participation of eighty real cops as extras. On February 1, recording took place at Morro Dona MartaDona Marta
Dona Marta or "Favela Santa Marta" is a slum located in Botafogo in the South Zone Rio de Janeiro of Brazil. It has about 8000 residents, with 500 wooden houses, 2000 brick houses, 4 kindergartens, 3 bakeries, 2 sports fields, 1 block of a samba school, 3 military units and 1 smallmarket...
, in the Botafogo
Botafogo
Botafogo is a beachfront neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of Mundo Novo, Dona Marta and São João .- History :Botafogo was named after João Pereira de Sousa Botafogo, who was responsible for the...
borough, with the use of two helicopters and heavy guns, leading to next-door neighbors thinking it was a real shoot-out. For the scenes happening at the Bangu
Bangu
Bangu may refer to:-* Bamileke, a Semi-Bantu ethnic group of people from Cameroon.* Bangu , a district of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.* Bangu Atlético Clube, a football team in Bangu, Rio de Janeiro...
1 prison, forty professionals worked during two months constructing a 500m² detention center, based on notations from art director Tiago Marques about the place, since they didn't get clearance to take pictures of the real building. The scenes at the prison were recorded during the four days of the 2010 carnival. One of the film scenes would be shot at the House of Congress in Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, but production couldn't get permission. A fake Ethics Committee was built inside the Federation of Industries of Rio de Janeiro, recording took place at April 15. Filming was done in the same month and the film went to post-production.
Strategy against leaks
After the first film leaked and got in the hands of millions of people before the official release date, the Elite Squad 2 crew created a strategy to avoid the same thing happening to the sequel. Before production began, Marcos Prado informed that, "This time we will have a special security scheme. We will have a security team watching over the editing, transporting the reels, and paying close attention to every little detail. The raw material will be preserved". Director José Padilha concluded, "We won't outsource any of the steps. We are doing the whole post-production at our company, inside our 'caveirão'". The script was sent to the National Agency of Cinema under the title "Organized crime" and was printed with red ink, to avoid photocopying. The production unit rented an apartment, monitored by cameras, where editing took place. Four people had access to the place, only through passwords, and no means of accessing the Internet. Another strategy used was the marking of each copy sent to the theaters; that way if any of the copies was illegally recorded, they would know where it came from. Military policemen from São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
also helped in avoiding the leak. The final picture, still with no sound, was put in a safe.
Reception
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within had mostly positive reviews so far. In a review for G1, Luciano Trigo affirmed that the film is a "blow to the spectator" and that it has "a script far more ambitious than the first one". According to Trigo, director José Padilha was able to avoid "traps" in the sequel, such as "repeating the how-to from the first film, or giving in to pressure from those who called the first film 'fascistFascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
'" and went "even deeper on the realism and toughness of the social scenario in Rio de Janeiro, stained by violence and corruption in all its forms". On UOL
Universo Online
UOL once known as Universo Online, is a Brazilian online service provider and internet service provider. It is the leader in Latin America and the homepage portal is the biggest in the Portuguese speaking world.UOL is currently ranked at Alexa TOP 100...
, Alessandro Giannini praised Wagner Moura's portrayal of Nascimento and affirmed that the film is more "consistent and cohesive" than the first one and that "there is no room for doubts or ambiguities". Carla Navarrete wrote on Yahoo! that "the plot is much more complex, as Padilha's direction is more firm. Wagner Moura is as sharp as ever with his character. Aged, his Nascimento brings a chilling dramatic background". Marcelo Forlani from the website Omelete, ranked the film four out of five, citing that "'Squad 2', like the first, is still violent, still polemic, still punching at the same button" and that "the comic relief moments work so well because the rest of the movie is packed with action and tension". On MSN
MSN
MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. The Microsoft Network debuted as an online service and Internet service provider on August 24, 1995, to coincide with the release of the Windows 95 operating system.The range of services offered by MSN has changed since its...
, Karen Lemos wrote that the flim "re-writes the concepts brought about by the first movie: instead of crooks, the police; and instead of the law, corruption". Journalist André Forastieri, writing on his blog for the R7
R7
R7 or R-7 may be:* Radial Road 7, a highway in the Philippines* R7 or R7A , a model of New York City Subway rolling stock manufactured from 1937 to 1938* R7 Quad, a golf club...
news portal, said he was disappointed with the final result: "Of course a movie is not an academic thesis (...). The actors are good. Wagner Moura shines. The dialogues sparkle. But the most powerful moments are softened by the never-ending argument, producing the overall feeling of impotence. Like almost all sequels, this one can't help but diminish the first movie's value".
Domestic release
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within broke national opening weekend records in Brazil, with more than 1.25 million spectators during its first weekend. This opening was the 5th biggest in Brazilian history and the biggest one for a Brazilian film, so far. A total of 696 theaters are screening the film about 8 times each day. In three weeks, the film surpassed the mark of R$ 60 million in gross revenue and over six million viewers becoming the most successful Brazilian film of the 21st century so far on local theaters. In just nine weeks, the film surpassed 10 million viewers on theaters throughout the country becoming the highest box office of a local film in Brazilian history.United Kingdom release
Elite Squad: The Enemy Within was released in the UK by Revolver EntertainmentRevolver Entertainment
Revolver Entertainment is a marketing-lead, all rights film distribution company. Founded in 1997, the company has operations in both London and Los Angeles....
in Summer 2011.
United States release
The film held its United States premiere in January 2011 at the Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. Since, it has screened at several festivals, including Austin's Fantastic Fest. The film will be released in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on November 11th, 2011 and in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on November 18th, 2011 .
See also
- List of submissions to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film