by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
Legacy sequels are all the rage these days. Between the pandemic and writers and actors strikes, the distance between the original movie and the sequel continues to grow. During the 2020s, though, a number of movies have gotten sequels decades after their original, including Beverly Hills Cop, Beetlejuice, Avatar, Indiana Jones, Enchanted, and Top Gun. But one movie for which I never expected to get a sequel was City of God. Yet in 2024, even that can have its story continued.
City of God is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s a fantastic blend of a gangster thriller, crime drama, and cautionary tale. There are so many memorable characters from the slums of Rio de Janeiro that provide you with someone to hate, someone to root for, and someone to cry over when they’re inevitably killed. You feel like you are part of the slum, between the innovative storytelling, grainy footage to make it feel like we’re behind the lens, and theme of classism, racism, and nature versus nurture. I didn’t know what to make when I found out that HBO was releasing a sequel set 20 years after the movie’s events. Several questions crossed my mind, like, how much will it connect to the original? Will any original characters be in the show? Will it have the same vibe as the original?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but yes, I’m happy to report that City of God: The Fight Rages On is a sequel worthy of the original classic.
The Fight Rages On still has Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), now an acclaimed photojournalist, covering the slums of the City of God. He has built a reputation for capturing some grim moments, covering the fight between the gangs and the cops. The City of God is at relative peace, with Curió (Marcos Palmeira) serving as a de facto gang leader and keeper of order, along with characters from the original movie, Berenice (Roberta Rodrigues) and Stringy (Edson Oliveira). When an old protégé of Curio is released from jail, the delicate peace of the city changes forever.
For a movie that is more known among cinephiles than with casual moviegoers, I’m floored at how many of the old cast members reprised their roles. It’s a testament to how much this experience meant to them (or HBO backed up a dump truck full of money for everyone). Some characters make sense to return, like Rocket and Stringy. Others had small parts to play in the movie, but bigger parts to play in the show. Honestly, there were some that I didn’t recognized until it was explained a little further, but that’s what makes everyone’s inclusion so great. We have some deep cuts for savvy people who love the movie, and no one feels wasted.
When Bradock (Thiago Martins) comes out of jail and back to the slums, it took me a second to remember who he was. Originally part of the runts’ crew, Bradock spent time in jail and was bailed out for good behavior. However, he has other plans to take back what he lost. At first, he is respectful to Curio (who he views as a father figure), but his allegiance to Jerusa (Andréia Horta) destroys everything. Unfortunately, Bradock has to find out that being in charge of the City of God isn’t as easy as it looks.
The new people bring a new level of gravity and violence to the City of God franchise. Curio is a smart and ruthless character who uses his brain, tactics, and money. He’s also beloved, which helps people in the slums shield him. This is a key distinction between people with power and those seeking power. Bradock tries to take cues from what Curio did, but it’s not him, nor does anyone in the slums genuinely understand why he’s acting in such a way. It’s what separates Curio from other gang leaders, and it stands out in Palmeira’s performance. He has a warmth many other selfish and power-hungry gang leaders do not possess.
Two other new characters who stand out are PQD (Demétrio Nascimento Alves) and Jerusa. PQD is a military veteran who is married to Berenice. He doesn’t want to get drawn into the conflict, but everyone standing on the sidelines inevitably has to make a choice. PQD reminds me a lot of Knockout Ned (Seu Jorge) from the original movie: He possesses many leadership skills, but is drawn into conflict. He represents a level of sophistication that these gangs need to have to beat their opponents. It’s not just shock and awe anymore; it’s also about strategy and positioning everyone in the best way possible to be successful. What happens to him is heartbreaking, but he deals with the same consequences that several others face.
Jerusa represents a significant escalation of how women and the government play a role in the slums. In the movie, women didn’t have much power. Fast forward to the series and women are some of the strongest characters with resolve and poise. Berenice and Jerusa are solid foils of one another: strong leaders, loyal to their cause, stubborn, and unafraid of the moment.
The inclusion of Rio De Janeiro’s government in this will tip the scales in people’s favor or fury for the show. I thought it made sense how the government gets involved, and how the people of the City of God are merely pawns to people in power. Others will think the government is a plot device to juice the action. Although it’s true, I find it much more nuanced than that. Gang warfare can only be tolerated for so long before someone has to intervene. So it didn’t bother me that the government was involved in trying to influence the events of the series and the slums.
City of God: The Fight Rages On is an excellent reintroduction for fans of the original movie and a fantastic way for newbies to go watch City of God. No moment is wasted, and the character work is outstanding. Themes of power and leadership are front and center, and they add a layer of complicity to an already exciting story. I’m so glad this is coming back for Season Two, because there’s way more story to tell. It’s not HBO’s best work this year, but it’s still one of their best series.
Rating: Liked It
City of God: The Fight Rages On is currently streaming on Max
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