The Secret Agent

When I unexpectedly hear someone like Wim Wenders declare that “cinema should be apolitical,” I immediately think of ‘Leviathan’ and the oppression that the State and the Church exert on the individual in countries like Russia; of ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and the persecution of Jafar Panahi by the Iranian regime; and of this astounding film, which doesn't even need to refer to the government to make its point clear. This is one of the rare instances in which a director becomes the absolute protagonist of his work, but without a trace of egocentrism. ‘The Secret Agent’ is the work of a true cinema passionate and someone who understands the importance of historical memory.

因为奥提来看的。 作为非英语片提名奥斯卡最佳电影，看之前我的期待还是很高的，但看完着实是有些失望。倒不至于完全不知所云，但片中屡屡出现的断肢、大白鲨等意象，我确实是没有理解它们的含义。故事单纯来看没什么新奇的，可能还是要结合当时巴西的时代背景来看吧

Some arresting imagery and noteworthy efforts to evoke the period here from director Kleber Mendonça Filho, his work "The Secret Agent" I think offering more to those with closer ties to the time and place in question than others. For the uninitiated, your post-screening ritual might look like a study session, feverishly researching why certain scenes (some, seemingly non-sequitur-like) are left in the film's hefty runtime and what the filmmaker might be saying with their inclusion. Still, Wagner Moura is a great through line for the audience to latch on to and the final act is thrilling as all hell to witness. I just wish I had a bit more of a connection/better familiarity with the subject matter before going in. Admittedly left me scratching my head in more than a few places.

I had a hard time getting through 'The Secret Agent'. I fell asleep twice and nearly a third time. It wasn’t physical exhaustion — just that specific drowsiness that comes when a film doesn’t engage. From the start, something didn’t click. The movie clearly asks for patience, moving at a very slow pace. I usually enjoy slow cinema, but here it didn’t work for me. The opening promises strong direction and a deep script, yet neither truly landed. Aside from a few brief moments, I felt increasingly disconnected, especially halfway through, when everything began to feel meaningless. I don’t normally struggle with slow films, but this one lost me early because the story never grabbed my attention. I even had to reread the synopsis — not because it was complex, but because I’d mentally checked out. I assume the film is meant to feel important, but I couldn’t figure out its purpose. I didn’t know what it wanted to say or achieve, emotionally or intellectually. Eventually, I stopped caring and just wanted it to end. Despite finishing it, I couldn’t connect with it. While technically competent, I don’t understand the praise. For now, it feels overrated — though maybe the problem is simply that it isn’t for me.

Wagner Moura plays a man in 1977 Brazil, fleeing the oppressive military dictatorship and his own potential murder threats. He travels to his hometown, where he meets other dissidents and reunites with his son. Meanwhile, corrupt cops and hired killers are disposing of bodies and more. Then there are flash forwards, when two women listen to tapes that might help explain his past. This fragmented narrative rambles with glimpses of the culture and other things that extend the plot. They also make watching it more challenging (or some might say tedious). At 2:40, there’s an interesting story in the film, but the narrative focus is often is sidetracked by excess information and cultural flavor.