Bacurau

Bacurau (8/10)
Genre: Drama/Thriller/Action
Director: Juliano Dornelles, Kleber Mendonça Filho
Cast: Bárbara Colen, Thomas Aquino, Silvero Pereira, Sônia Braga, Udo Kier
Country: Brazil/France
Language: Portuguese/English
Year: 2019

I'll begin with an honest confession, after some twenty-odd minutes, I stopped watching Bacarau because it was too slow for my liking. I took an undecisive pause and decided to continue watching Bacarau, and boy, was I rewarded. I'm so glad I didn't make the mistake of not watching one of the most thought-provoking pieces of cinema in recent times. The beginning may be slow, but it makes sense in the end as it was essential for the final act.

Bacurau is a clever representation of Brazil's socio-political scenario through different genres of cinema ranging from weird western to exploitation to thriller to action and more, culminating into a cinematic masterpiece that leaves you perplexed. It is a political commentary that dissects the political undertones and threats to a perfect utopian society. 

At the beginning of the film, we get introduced to a village living in communal harmony where everyone plays a part and has their contributions. There is no hatred nor judgment - be it the elderly drunk female village doctor, a brothel that runs in the village, a mysterious hitman, or the extremist rebel living in the village outskirts, there are so many other characters that feel relevant in society. The reference to a drone disguised as a UFO is a rough reference to the conspiracy theories related to strange sightings of UFOs. The narrative also gives a glimpse of the Brazillian culture and the state of the country's socio-political situation. 

On the other hand, we got the white imperialists - killing the underprivileged village folks for entertainment while battling their own indifferences and racial undercurrents. The result of all this social indifference is a violent outburst which is the final act. 

The story is about a fictional Brazillian village where the villagers start noticing strange incidents after the arrival of mysterious foreigners. 

The writer-director duo of Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonça Filho's thought-provoking screenplay and effortless direction deserves all the praise and appreciation they have garnered for their work. For instance, there's a scene in this film where Udo Kier shoots a couple of innocent villagers and denies shooting them - a reference to imperialists killing the underprivileged and denying their involvement in public forums. 

The casting is brilliant, and the actors play their parts to perfection. Bárbara Colen, Thomas Aquino, Silvero Pereira, Sônia Braga and veteran Udo Kier give some memorable performances. The striking visuals by cinematographer Pedro Sotero create the perfect canvas, while Eduardo Serrano's editing strokes create a cohesive piece of art. Sound plays an equally important role in this film, complemented by the goth-synth composition by Mateus Alves and Tomaz Alves Souza. 

Bacurau sets the benchmark for contemporary South American cinema in representing socio-cultural influence in the future. Bacurau will test your patience in the opening hours but it will be a rewarding experience by the time you finish this film.