A deeper look into the two films (Spoilers if you haven't seen both)

I really liked both films in the series, the action was good and the story lines engaging.

One of the main points of interest for me and what I continued to think about after the films was the solution to the problems in Brazil. Both films tackle the issues from different stand points, the left and right of the political spectrum.

Capitão Nascimento is clearly on the far right. No mercy, do as I say or die. This clearly has its advantages as portrayed in both movies he is able to emerge victorious over his counterparts. However, as he also pointed out, this inevitably leads to another person taking advantage of the situation and illegally running the favellas.

Maria in the first film and Diogo Fraga in the second take the standpoint of the left. Wanting to instigate change more peacefully in the favellas they work with the drug lords as opposed to against them. However there weaker stand point on drugs and attitudes towards the people who deal them mean change is non existent and becomes a debatable topic rather than action.

The relationships between these two parties is important. Firstly they hate each other because of there different approaches an politics. The actions of both parties in the film did seem strange.

It was surprising for me to see Maria and her friends dabbling in drugs, not to mention Diogo taking a lenient standpoint on a member of his office having 100 grams of marijuana on her. As Nascimento says, this actually supports what is going on in the favellas, and equal responsibility for associated crimes and deaths must lie with these people as well. Having taken drugs myself in the past, is was shocking to actually make this association, because 'What harm is a bit of weed?'.

Nascimento and his groups actions are more shocking. Tourture and murder as a means for control are never going to work. History has shown that. His belief is he has no choice, and strangely I do agree with him. They have to be that way, if they weren't the situation could be much much worse. However, it is close to genocide, and will not bring about change.

So, why won't people change? The lure of wealth is clear, however I believe it is more than that. It is anger at a political system that doesn't support the poor, anger at the police who take advantage and anger at BOPE who kill and torture without mercy. In order to change Brazil needs to find a way to give the poor people a real reason and opportunity to not get into the drug trade. One that is not based on fear or intimidation and one that gives people a real chance of earning enough money to support themselves comfortably.