City of God is a thrilling action film set in the oppressive margins of a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Directed by Fernando Meirelles, the film portrays life in the City of God, a favela that began in the 1960s as a new housing project. Its main characters were children and petty thieves who lived a life surrounded by violence and drug turfs. Narrated by Rocket, a boy who dreams of becoming a photographer, the story focuses on the escalating battle between rival gangs led by the murderous Little Zé and Carrot. What stands out the most throughout the movie is the depiction of the Favela. Life in the favela is faster, more terrifying and vibrant. Throughout the movie, an upbeat soundtrack contributes to the intensity of each scene. Life-and-death
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As a teenager, Rocket uses his photographs the same way his fellow friends use their weapons: To gain status within his gang and pursue his true love interest, to conquer Angelica, who is interested in his ability to make her look pretty in pictures. The same applies in the crime life, as they use weapon to gain power and money to attract the women who are interested in their power. The camera/gun analogy is most explicit in the final standoff. In the final scene, Rocket is surrounded by Little Ze`s heavily equipped gang and the police, Rocket then stands still as the camera circles around him, filming his nervous facial expression. As the police leaves and the gang gathers for a group picture, the camera continues to spin around Rocket, focusing on his face that exhales indecision. Finally, he decides to take a picture of the gang and the camera stops spinning and depicts Rocket`s point of view. As he shoots a picture of the gang, one of the gang members is shot and blood spurts all over the place. A war then breakouts between Little Ze`s gang and a rival gang and Rocket is part of it with his camera. The sound and dialogue add to the suggestion that Rocket is an active participant in the violence: gunfire accompanies his own shooting. What was once a ticket out of the violence became a ticket out of the City of God for Rocket. He managed to grow as a photographer, but after the pictures taken
As a teenager, Rocket uses his photographs the same way his fellow friends use their weapons: To gain status within his gang and pursue his true love interest, to conquer Angelica, who is interested in his ability to make her look pretty in pictures. The same applies in the crime life, as they use weapon to gain power and money to attract the women who are interested in their power. The camera/gun analogy is most explicit in the final standoff. In the final scene, Rocket is surrounded by Little Ze`s heavily equipped gang and the police, Rocket then stands still as the camera circles around him, filming his nervous facial expression. As the police leaves and the gang gathers for a group picture, the camera continues to spin around Rocket, focusing on his face that exhales indecision. Finally, he decides to take a picture of the gang and the camera stops spinning and depicts Rocket`s point of view. As he shoots a picture of the gang, one of the gang members is shot and blood spurts all over the place. A war then breakouts between Little Ze`s gang and a rival gang and Rocket is part of it with his camera. The sound and dialogue add to the suggestion that Rocket is an active participant in the violence: gunfire accompanies his own shooting. What was once a ticket out of the violence became a ticket out of the City of God for Rocket. He managed to grow as a photographer, but after the pictures taken