The Simple Complexity of Bacurau (2019)

Half a mesmerizing portrait of communal Brazilian life in a rural village, a half a narrative about the spectral, technological force of globalized white violence that brutalize those very same lives, Bacurau (2019) works by blending a brilliantly simple story with an incredibly nuanced gaze that leaves the message both resoundingly clear and magically complexly mysterious. Any other film which depicts this subject matter in this way might be called blatant, as the simplicity of the general narrative beats are familiar enough to be blatant. Yet, Bacurau artfully side steps any accusations of presenting an "on the nose" narrative, by carefully and methodically establishing tone and place through patient cinematography and by never revealing more than it needs to. Additionally, the seeming lack of any central character allows the town of Bacurau to take on all the characterization the film needs; the hovering, almost episodic scenes of small town life leave one hypnotized; the ritual and localized knowledge create a sort of mystery to the whole film. All of this leaves the film with a subtle complexity, a subtle and deep meaningfulness which instantly clashes with the abrasive, violent, blunt attitude of the white terrorists. It's in this play between the apparent blatant simplicity of those that perpetrate violence and the deep complexity of local communal life where Bacurau shines. It's a clear simple metaphor -- even blatant in some ways -- but it never tells you why it's clear; it remains ambiguous in its clarity.

The mystery and character of the town might be the best example of this. The distance and slow pace Filho and Dornelles use to describe the village manifests in ever scene. The funeral scene at the beginning shows us Bacurau's relationship to death; a brilliant scene shows us their relationship to the corruption of Brazillian government officials; they show local communication networks; the show community forums, which end up feeling more democratic than complex national voting systems; they show the community acceptance to different gender and sexual identities. These aspects of the plot never feel fully explained, but the feeling -- the sense of emotional, community existence -- comes across perfectly in the slow camera  motions and the simple threads of dialogue. The reveal at the end of the film works all the better because of this: the mysterious history feels deeply rooted in all that we are shown; it comes as no surprise then -- with one of the most patient reveals in cinema history -- that Bacurau manages to take on the invasion.

This patient complexity to the town is certainly contrasted with the white intercontinental terrorists. They are given explicit characterization: blatant dialogue, aggressively simple costumes, and a general calculated and impatient screen presence. When they hijack the action of the film, the audience becomes immersed in a startling different world, one that directly contrasts the world we were previously shown. The plot works through this contrast and an ultimate subversion of the audience expectation (much like the end of Get Out); (white) audiences expectations are revealed to be entirely false, going so far as to run directly counter to the information received in the first act. However, the set up and reveal of Bacurau is anything but simple setup-payoff style cinema: the reveal reveals, if anything, a whole history of defense against white intercontinental terrorism, a whole complex relationship. It also reveals the strength of the communal aspects of life which enamored the audience in the first act. The terrorists ultimately cannot escape the simplicity of the system within which they operate: their complete misunderstanding and underestimation of life in Bacurau, and their dis-interest in history (represented by their lack of interest in Bacurau's museum) leaves them emotionally capable of murder, but incapable of actually carrying it out. This is further exemplified by the fact that they don't even know why they are there (when asked the first person says "I don't know" and the second dodges the question). They just come, the unexplainable yet traumatically simple fact that white colonial violence seems forever perpetuated around the world by those that do not understand, by those that intimately understand the extent and trauma of colonial violence.

Bacurau ties together a very complex story with a very simple narrative, ultimately "nuancing" it's way into emotions and plot points that work perfectly, despite a very diverse set of tones and influences. It not only feels like an accurate portrayal (from what I understand as a white audience member) of the lasting effects of colonialism, but also of the tradition of living in a place, with a community. It's deeply unsettling, yet also deeply thought provoking, and remains a must watch for everyone. We have to keep in mind that the story that takes place in the town of Bacurau is not some isolated case. This is made abundantly clear in the film (based on the history shown at the end, but also in the resignation with which the epilogue plays out), but also external of the film, as a historical reality that we ought be aware of. We have to remember, all of the villages which have not, and will not, manage to defend themselves against the genocidal actions of violent white culture and how this is not mere metaphor, or simple story telling, but a complex systemic problem that exists around the world. The deflation that occurs at the end of the film -- the sense that things have only temporarily settled (the blood is still on the wall) -- is a fatalistic reminder there is no end in sight. We (white audience members) ought to watch this film with care, as it remains a reminder that there is the world that we exist within and the world that we benefit from.