Don’t fight it son. Confess quickly! If you hold out too long you could jeopardize your credit rating!
I had no idea what I was getting myself into but let me tell you I’m not disappointed at all. This Orwellesque phantasmagoria has left me speechless. It’s a surreal journey through a dystopian society that feels simultaneously futuristic and timeless. It feels so distant yet so close. The atmosphere this futuristic world creates is so eerie and vivid that it quite literally sent a shiver down my spine. Thought provoking themes of bureaucracy and totalitarianism accompanied by amazing surreal imagery and terrifying figures, all of this highlighting the main character of Sam Lowry, a guy who tries to escape the mundanity of life through fantastical daydreams and tales he makes up in his head, to forget the horrors of the dystopian reality he has to face every single day. Sam frequently irritates his mother since it seems he has no goals in life and that he only wants freedom – which he is ultimately unable to have – rather than submitting to the system and moving further down its ladder. Every move he takes in life is continuously monitored and controlled.
This film is far more eerie and frightening than any modern horror film; the most striking aspect is undoubtedly its prescient commentary on the dangers of unchecked government surveillance and the erosion of personal liberties, a dystopian future in which bureaucracy reigns supreme and individuality is crushed beneath the weight of totalitarianism. ⬇️
Modifying our bodies just to be liked by the upper class (Sam’s mom) and becoming an eccentric empty shell of a human, which fundamentally leads to destruction of her character, death. Technology and surveillance-driven world will ultimately cause the destruction of mankind. Gilliam masterfully crafts a world where humanity is reduced to cogs in a bureaucratic machine, where paperwork and red tape dictate every aspect of life. The ending was extremely shocking to me, I was truly hoping for a happy ending, where Sam would be able to escape this nightmare and become free, reaching his ultimate goal. Unfortunately, the complete opposite has happened, it was just again Sam’s fantasy trying to cope with the tragic reality, betrayal and deception, which came from his only close friend and colleague, Jack Lint. This just proves how under totalitarian regime you can’t trust anyone, not even yourself.
It’s a film that needs to be seen several times, with each viewing revealing new layers of meaning and depth. I will definitely be giving this a rewatch soon. I don’t know why was this gem hidden from me for so long!
It’s visually spectacular, with the costumes, vibrant colours, and dream imagery adding to the overall overpowering experience and atmosphere. Brazil is a true tour de force, both thematically rich and thought-provoking!
MY RATING: 5⭐️/5⭐️
