The Secret Agent is an outstanding balance of tone, telling a story that’s equal parts exciting, tense, and somber. Wagner Moura shines in the magnetic leading role he’s deserved all his career, a noble and seemingly ordinary man risking everything for the right thing. Moura is tender yet hardened and courageous in a role we can connect to and easily root for in every frame of this 158-minute film. But the entire cast is stellar here, creating a marvelous community of allies (and a few foes) around Moura.
The film reflects on a dark era in Brazil’s dictatorship, including “forced disappearances” — the regime quietly murdering anyone who speaks out against or disobeys them. It fully conveys its serious matter that resonates, while also having moments of fun. The maximalist style, including the colorful camerawork and score, plays out like a nail-biting caper, and even boasts lots of unexpected humor that allows for personality, humanity, and exhalation.
The final few minutes are unexpected but leave a mark, and it moves at a brisk pace that leaves you wanting more, even when running at over 2 and a half hours. The Secret Agent is a riveting and one-of-a-kind film that’s as imaginative as it is historically raw and true. It’s a political thriller that’s as irresistible as it is meditative and gritty, that never takes the expected route and reveals itself in terrific and unforgettable ways.
4.5/5
Written by: Gal Balaban