Elite Squad: The Enemy Within review

Beginning with a bloodbath and concluding, “The system is resilient. Many people will die,” José Padilha’s impressive sequel – Brazil’s highest-grossing domestic film ever – is part political thriller, part pummelling polemic.

Anchored by police lieutenant Wagner Moura’s intrusive voiceover, it pits his brutal pragmatism against Irandhir Santos’ idealism, only for both to fail as vicious government militias become mafias.

Confusing and compelling, it appears to advocate fascism, but is simply begging, “What the hell else can we do?”