‘The Secret Agent’ Review: Wagner Moura Is Marked for Death in Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Terrific ’70s Thriller

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In “The Secret Agent,” directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, Carnival serves as an intriguing backdrop for approximately 100 deaths and disappearances. This film delves deep into the vivid sensory experiences of Recife, Brazil in 1977, capturing both its oppressive political climate and sweltering weather. The movie’s title suggests a time of playful trouble, but the everyday corruption that infiltrates every facet of this 160-minute drama is far more sinister than that. Mendonça himself lived through these challenging times, showcasing how even the toughest periods can spark an unusual sense of longing.

The director, who is now 56 years old, was only 8 years old when the movie’s story unfolds. This age was similar to Fernando, the son of the main character portrayed by “Narcos” actor Walter Moura, who played a man with multiple identities in the film. It appears likely that the boy’s intense curiosity to watch “Tubarão” (the Portuguese title for “Jaws”) was sparked by the director’s own personal experiences. Impressively, Mendonça not only recreates but also transports us back to that era, filled with stifling heat and fear.

Throughout the film, the characters are seen working without shirts, a necessity due to the high temperature. Yet, this is trivial compared to the continuous strain faced by ordinary citizens under the military rule, which persisted for another eight years beyond the events portrayed in the movie. Contrary to Walter Salles’ latest work “I’m Still Here,” this project leans more towards genre-specific themes and doesn’t directly focus on political kidnappings. Instead, Moura’s character, named “Marcelo” (not his actual name), escapes from northern Brazil in search of reuniting with his son.

On his way to Recife, he stops at a gas station where a deceased individual is hidden under cardboard boxes, not far from the fuel pumps. This scene might have been taken straight from a Mario Bava film of the same era. The indifference displayed by two federal police officers towards the lifeless body suggests that life holds little value in this world, making it clear to Marcelo why he cannot seek help from the authorities.

In my perspective as a movie reviewer, this film might initially appear to be something other than a suspenseful flick, with its title alone barely hinting at the genre. However, director Mendonça seems less interested in delivering a traditional suspense experience; instead, he skillfully blends elements reminiscent of John Carpenter’s cinematography (using Panavision lenses), Brian De Palma’s narrative techniques (split screen), and Martin Scorsese’s musical choices (pop-music needle drops).

Reminiscent of the filmmakers from France’s New Wave, Mendonça’s journalistic background as a reporter and critic is evident in every frame. This unique blend of originality and homage creates an intriguing allure that keeps you hooked throughout the movie.

In this scenario, the character is portrayed under Hitchcock’s signature style, where a powerful government figure has issued a hit on Marcelo, causing him to hide with an elderly woman in Recife who shelters several others like him. This group forms an improvised resistance, primarily consisting of individuals labeled as “long-hairs,” homosexuals, and vocal women, acting as a collective voice.

In this scenario, it’s not Marcel (a university research scientist) who could potentially be the secret agent, but rather Elza (Maria Fernanda Cândido), a character who set up his alias and provided him with employment within the identification office. There, he can freely search through records for any documents related to his deceased mother. The importance of this connection is revealed in the movie’s closing scenes, where we see clean-shaven Moura playing a second role.

On his initial workday, Marcelo notices the unfair advantage that benefits the wealthy, while maintaining the lower class in their position – an issue similar to how someone like him could be dismissed without consequences. This is just one of several indirect criticisms the director throws towards Brazilian society in a film that could have been significantly shorter if it weren’t for these additional comments.

In a scene specifically tailored for Udo Kier, the renowned actor from “Bacurau” portrays a German tailor who was a war veteran from World War 2. He lifts his shirt to display the scars from that time. This Jewish immigrant serves as both amusement and a solemn reminder for the corrupt local police. His presence underscores how survivors serve as witnesses, while bodies discarded at sea carry their secrets to the ocean’s depths. However, these secrets may not remain hidden forever; they could be uncovered by sharks that are later caught and scrutinized by marine scientists. This is just one of the many unexpected twists in Mendonça’s intricate and unpredictable narrative.

When word leaks about a human leg discovered inside a shark’s belly, public excitement escalates greatly. Even before social media, this tale spreads like wildfire, leading cinema owners to re-release the movie “Jaws,” while sparking sensationalized headlines like “the Hairy Leg” in the press. In an over-the-top, utterly bizarre twist, Mendonça envisions these stories as a low-budget exploitation film, where a dismembered limb lurks menacingly in a nearby park’s bushes, suddenly popping out to scare gay men seeking companionship there. This, he suggests, is how such stories were planted by the regime to discourage such activities.

It turns out that Carlos Francisco, Marcelo’s father-in-law, manages the city’s Boa Vista cinema, which is causing a stir with its screening of “The Omen.” Mendonça’s past work, “Pictures of Ghosts,” a documentary film, lamented the disappearance of Recife’s movie theaters. This sorrowful sentiment also applies to “The Secret Agent.” Mendonça packs this film with authentic period details: classic American cars and vinyl records, payphones that gobble up tokens, old printing presses, and shorts so tight they’re obscene, all set in a sweltering heat.

This production skillfully captures a distinct atmosphere, as if viewed through the eyes of a movie enthusiast. Mendonça filmed digitally, employing old-fashioned camera gear to create a high-contrast, anamorphic widescreen aesthetic reminiscent of that period. However, it’s clear that a contemporary perspective is at play, as the filmmaker switches the focus from political dissidents to an alternate group of protagonists: queer escapees and women of color. In one of the movie’s most memorable scenes, they gather with Marcelo, recounting tales that were probably never documented before, now being acknowledged and celebrated for the first time.

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2025-05-18 18:47