An unapologetic take on the police-favela dynamics, and the story of an inevitable transformation.

How much does Tropa de Elite owe to Cidade de Deus? Much. But where Meirelles paints a saga in which the favela becomes a character on its own, Padilha decides to take a step back and zoom in his own unlikely heroes. The result can be less appealing, but it is every bit as audacious. And hard slaps on guilt are always welcome.