Although set in the future, Bacurau is tastefully old-fashioned. Directors Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles evoke thrillers of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s right from the opening credits and steadily amp up the allusions until they go full John Carpenter. It’s a welcome approach that’s in vogue, in part due to the success of similarly themed projects like Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and the voracious appetites of aging millennials. Capably firing on all cylinders, the sweet-and-salty mix of smart social commentary and gruesome, excessive violence makes it more than worth the price of admission.
The film starts out “a few years from now” with a water truck approaching the remote town of Bacurau. Along with water, the truck carries Teresa (Bárbara Colen), returning home for the funeral of her grandmother Carmelita. On the way, Teresa is greeted by one ominous sign after another: An overturned truck has spewed caskets (mostly empty) all over the road; the local school looks as if it has been abandoned for years. There are mysteries from the get-go; Teresa is wearing a lab coat “for protection,” and they stop along the way to observe an armed party of outlaws who appear to be restricting the water supply.
With the focus on water and sweeping shots of Northeastern Brazil’s dry, rugged landscape, such early moments suggest Mad Max, but then we arrive at Bacurau. Here, cinematographer Pedro Sotero meandering camera follows villagers down side streets to eavesdrop as the townsfolk talk about everything from the UFO-like thing that has appeared in the skies to the fact that the town has disappeared from all maps. We meet local schoolteacher Plinio (Wilson Rabelo), consistently drunk local doctor Domingas (played with glee by the legendary Sonia Braga), obviously villainous mayor Tony Jr. (Thardelly Lima) and gruff but goodhearted men with mysterious names like Black Jr. (DJ Urso) and Pacote (Thomas Aquino). These opening moments are filled with mystery but also quirkiness; Bacurau comes across like a Latinx take on “Twin Peaks.”
The appearance of C-movie staple Udo Kier signals the film’s descent into the wacky. In typical scenery-chewing fashion, Kier plays Michael, the leader of a band of human hunters who intent on murdering the populace. Teresa and the other townsfolk resist, and glorious carnage ensues. The pairing of Mendonça Filho and Dornelles, who have previously worked together as director and production designer, is particularly fruitful, as the film excels artistically despite an obviously limited budget. Like the best of Carpenter, they make their scenes effective through design rather than budget, tension and payoff rather than grand scope. And because they spent their time establishing characters and their stakes (another Carpenter hallmark), the bloodbath is emotionally effective as well.
Bacurau is an unexpected treasure, an obvious homage that also manages to stand on its own. The near-future Brazil setting is particularly unsettling, as the world it unfolds in could easily exist within our generation. However, despite its dystopian outlook, the film is strangely hopeful, a reminder of the importance of community and humanity during a crisis. It’s also just a bloody good time.
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