City of God is like Pulp Fiction with more adrenaline and speed; more friciton, grit, and better camera angles. It's not as bloody as say, Kill Bill, but the violence is more tactile, more felt, more true. The cinematography is beautiful, and I say this because in its depiciton of Rio's most notorius slum, I was instantly transported to the slums of Manila. I drew parallels. I felt it. I smelt it. I heard it. The City of God came to life. It wasn't just a film, it was life in the slum. I could feel the desperation, the meanlessness, and the absolute poverty. I could also feel the humid heat, the dust of the streets, and the hunger pangs rife in those thin bodies. I haven't been so engulfed in a film for a long time.
The story does not run chronologically. It runs as protagonist Rocket tells it. And I like the way he tells it: by way of propelling the story forward and appropriate character introductions. Little Zé was a great character (excellent actor Leandro Firmino da Hora). I always love the antagonists - so many more layers to reveal, more complications, more texture, more personality. Rocket's character is not as straightforward the good guy, but you know in his heart, that's what he is.
I've only got raves, so watch the film and decide for yourself. But trust me. It's really, really good! The DVD includes a documentary on the real life slum scenario which just further ingrains the vision of slum life even deeper. Excellent!
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