A gritty and realistic depiction of the slums around Rio, and how power corrupts absolutely. It tells a dark but moving story about the gangs of the City of God through 3 decades, and the countless deaths and power struggles within. This movie features a lot of child actors, and puts them through unimaginably intense and horrifying situations. Usually this can lead to terrible child actors ruining the immersion of a film, yet surprisingly, all of the actors were incredible and believable (especially considering most of them aren't professionals!) . What elevates this film above it's peers is that the cinematography and editing is so inventive, giving the whole film a kinetic energy. There are so many shots and edits in this movie that had my jaw on the floor. Not only is the acting and writing superb, but the style is on point, making City of God a joy to watch.