Film Review: Bacurau

Before I get into the film itself, I just wanna briefly go over the way I saw it. Bacurau is a new release, one that was intended to hit theaters earlier this month, but because of the COVID-19 outbreak, that couldn’t happen, especially with theaters closing down nationwide and around the world. So, its US distributor, Kino Lorber, has started a neat initiative called Kino Marquee, which sets up a “virtual screening room” in partnerships with arthouse theaters across the country. So, you would go to Kino Lorber’s on demand service, Kino Now. All you do is find the film, find your local theater, and purchase a “virtual ticket,” which then gives you five days to watch the film.

They opened with Bacurau, but they are actively expanding with more films – only Kino Lorber distributed films, mind you – and more theaters as well. It’s a great way to support the film, as well as your local theaters, who are very much struggling at this moment since they don’t have the kind of access to the finances of a Regal or AMC. It’s an interesting, new way to watch movies, and like I mentioned last week, while the desire for the theatrical experience probably won’t die because of the coronavirus, it will definitely make the powers that be rethink stuff like distribution and the theatrical window for select releases. Anyway, onto the review.

Bacurau is a Brazilian feature from writer/director duo, Juliano Dornelles and Kleber Mendonça Filho, that follows the strange happenings of a village named Bacurau. We initially experience this through Teresa (Bárbara Colen), who is returning to the village for the funeral of her grandmother. The village is a small one, and it’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other, and everyone has each others’ backs, from the doctor to the prostitute. However, after the funeral, strange things begin happening, and we find out a group of mercenaries led by Michael (Udo Kier) has their sights set on the townsfolk.

The film is very much a slow burn, one that spends a good chunk of the first half being spent on allowing you to familiarize yourself with the villagers. While Teresa seems to be set up as the main character, she ends up falling into the background, and the village as a whole serves as a character. We get a strong sense of history, community, and tradition. We spend time with numerous colorful characters. And it all serves to get you to care about the people before they find out what Michael has in store.

Once things turn violent, the tone itself takes a hard shift from quirky social realism to full blown gorefest with echoes of Sergio Leone and John Carpenter – who also just so happens to be featured in the film’s soundtrack. You are almost taken aback by how invested you are in the villagers, and your desire to see the mercenaries get their just desserts, and by the time we do get to the conclusion, it is simultaneously surprising, satisfying, and deeply cathartic.

But the filmmakers aren’t just interested in standard genre thrills. They clearly have a lot on their mind as well. From the ineptitude of their corrupt (and usually out-of-town) mayor to the seemingly banal motivations of the mercenaries, the film digs into the idea of what it means to be forgotten, oppressed, and dehumanized. I also doubt it is coincidence that the population of Bacurau is largely dark skinned. It’s easy to empathize with these people because it’s clear that they have pretty much been left to their own devices, seemingly with little connection to the outside world, and – by extension – the government, who has failed to help them at every possible turn, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and invasion.

Bacurau is definitely one of the better films I’ve seen this year so far. It’s a passionate film that does a good job at balancing the socio-political themes and the action. The frustration and anger behind the theming is palpable, and it shows you can be upfront with your message while still making it resonate and pack a punch, which is something that disappointed me about The Hunt. The performances are good, the dynamic between the characters is affecting, the cinematography is aces, and the tension is very well done. I’m sure a film like this plays better with those from Brazil and familiar with its history, but its filmmaking is strong enough to leave an impression no matter where you’re from, and that’s when you know you have something special.