History YMMV / TheEliteSquad

* AccidentalAesop: Political and social points aside, Nascimento in the first film is also a pretty accurate portrayal of anxiety disorders and how difficult to treat and damaging to one's life can they be. An additional lesson of the film could be "get to the therapist as soon as possible and ''speak up''".

* {{Anvilicious}}: Yeah, we get it, social activists often have more sympathy for criminals than for the people who protects them from said criminals. Now, having Matias stop a protest to call them assholes like ten times is ''perhaps'' a bit too on the nose.

-->''Eu sou guerreiro, sou trabalhador''
-->''E todo dia (todo dia) vou encarar''
-->''Com fé em Deus e na minha batalha''

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Fraga's undoubtedly a strawman, serving as opposition for Nascimento and BOPE's methods, but considering how [[PoliceBrutality brutal]] and reckless they can get, and the fact that the one time he's given a chance to try and solve a conflict peacefully, he was succeeding before being interrupted by Matias, its pretty hard to argue against him.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Captain Nascimento has been described both as a hero/anti-hero cop relentless in his fight against crime and a fascist thug whose sole purpose is to exterminate lower-class drug dealers. A third and more interesting interpretation suggest that, rather than hero or villain, Nascimento is a victim. Given that he suffers panic crises while at leisure and that his personal life crumbles throughout the first movie, it seems that his training and his job at BOPE took a severe toll on his psychological wellbeing, making him yet another casualty of the War on Drugs.
* {{Anvilicious}}: Yeah, we get it, social activists don't live in the real world and often have more sympathy for criminals than for the people who protects them from said criminals. Now, having Matias stop a protest to call them assholes like ten times is ''perhaps'' a bit too much.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: The movie's ending theme, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF5byGFsQ2U Lado B Lado A]]" by O Rappa, is a Epic reggae/rock piece with some Brazilian folk imagery in its lyrics.

* FountainOfMemes: Most of what Nascimento says, including "Pede pra sair!" ("say uncle!"), "Bota na conta do Papa" ("put it in the Pope's bill"), "Missão dada parceiro, é missão cumprida" ("A given mission, partner, is a finished mission"), and "Tira essa roupa preta, que você não merece usar! Você não é Caveira, você é muleque!" ("Take off the black suit, you're not worth it! You're not a Caveira, you're a brat!").

* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: The second film was considered an improvement in most fields over the first (except maybe memetic epicness). It even managed to win the foreign critics [[ValuesDissonance who felt the original film was "fascist"]].

* ValuesDissonance: Brazilian critics loved it, whereas foreign critics not so much, with some calling it "fascist" despite the movie criticizing police brutality. It is pretty natural that perspectives on criminal justice will be rather different in countries where police forces generally have things under control, compared to countries like Brazil where violent crime (particularly homicide) rates reach heights that most North Americans (excluding Mexicans), Europeans (''including'' Russians) and Asians only have to see in their nightmares. For many Brazilian critics, there is even a chance that the movie's topic is ItsPersonal for them considering the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_areas_by_intentional_homicide#2010s_by_rate_per_100.2C000 victimization levels]] in many of their cities.

** From the sequel, Fábio saying [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToJjIO6gjUw "Forget this shit, goddammit."]] eventually became a popular reaction image.

** Captain Nascimento is written as a deeply flawed character, but many fans admire him, with some media reports of people applauding his actions when seeing the movie at cinemas. The scriptwriter, a 12 year veteran of BOPE, mentioned in an interview that he was surprised at Nascimento's popularity.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Fraga's undoubtedly a strawman, serving as opposition for Nascimento and BOPE's methods, but considering how [[PoliceBrutality brutal]] and reckless they can get, and the fact that the one time he's given a chance to try and solve a conflict peacefully, he's succeeding before being interrupted by Matias, its pretty hard to argue against him.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: In the movie there are only two kinds of police, Fascist cops and corrupt cops. As a result, many viewers may find it difficult to root for anyone.

* {{Anvilicious}}: Yeah, we get it, social activists don't live in the real world and often have more simpathy for criminals than for the people who protects them from said criminals. Now, having Matias stop a protest to call them assholes like ten times is ''perhaps'' a bit too much.

* ValuesDissonance: Brazilian critics loved it, whereas foreign critics not so much, with some calling it "fascist" despite the movie criticizing police brutality. It is pretty natural that perspectives on criminal justice will be rather different in countries where police forces generally have things under control, compared to countries like Brazil where homicide rates reach heights that most North Americans (excluding Mexicans), Europeans (''including'' Russians) and Asians only have to see in their nightmares. For many Brazilian critics, there is even a chance that the movie's topic is ItsPersonal for them considering the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_areas_by_intentional_homicide#2010s_by_rate_per_100.2C000 victimization levels]] in many of their cities.

* FountainOfMemes: Most of what Nascimento says, including "Pede pra sair!" ("say uncle!"), "Bota na conta do Papa" ("put it in the Pope's bill"), "Missão dada parceiro, é missão cumprida" ("A given mission, partner, is a finished mission"), and "Tira essa roupa preta, que você não merece usar! Você não é caveira, você é muleque!" ("Take off the black suit, you're not worth it! You're not a skull, you're a brat!").

* ValuesDissonance: Brazilian critics loved it, whereas foreign critics not so much, with some calling it "fascist". It is pretty natural that perspectives on criminal justice will be rather different in countries where police forces generally have things under control, compared to countries like Brazil where homicide rates reach heights that most North Americans (excluding Mexicans), Europeans (''including'' Russians) and Asians only have to see in their nightmares. For many Brazilian critics, there is even a chance that the movie's topic is ItsPersonal for them considering the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_areas_by_intentional_homicide#2010s_by_rate_per_100.2C000 victimization levels]] in many of their cities.

%%* EvenBetterSequel: To the point that it became the most attended Brazilian film ever...

* StrawmanHasAPoint: Fraga's undoubtedly a strawman, serving as opposition for Nascimento and BOPE's methods, but considering [[AntiHero how]] [[PoliceBrutality brutal]] [[CowboyCop and reckless]] [[DestructiveSaviour they can get]], and the fact that the one time he's given a chance to try and solve a conflict peacefully, he's succeeding before being interrupted by Matias, its pretty hard to argue against him.

* TearJerker:
** [[spoiler: Neto's funeral]].
** [[spoiler:And Matias's. And Nascimento's son in intensive care after being shot.]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: Given director José Padilha had done before the documentary ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_174 Bus 174]]'', some consider the films an attempt for Padilha to do a trilogy of crime films.

* HilariousInHindsight: Captain Nascimento, one of the fiercest cops and opposer of drug dealers, shares his actor with the Pablo Escobar of ''Series/{{Narcos}}''.

* HarsherInHindsight: Neto's funeral becomes even more sadder in retrospective after his actor Caio Junqueira died in a car crash in 2019.

* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome:
** Regardless of what you think of Captain Nascimento's techniques, he definitely qualifies as a walking one.
** The sequel offers one for everyone. For example, [[spoiler:Matias's plan to clean the slums, Fraga managing to start a CPI against the rampant corruption in Rio and Nascimento's shootout with the corrupt cops.]]

** The movie seems to be mainly trying to show things as they are in Brazil (yep, that bad), but for some, DoNotDoThisCoolThing aspects might have made it seem otherwise. Arguably, the main point is Captain Nascimento himself, who's clearly shown as very deeply [[AntiHero flawed]] [[AntiVillain character]] at best - which didn't stop the fans from admiring him, there being even media reports of people applauding his actions when seeing the movie at cinemas. The scriptwriter, a 12 year veteran of BOPE, mentioned in an interview that he was surprised at Nascimento's popularity.
** There's also the fact that, while the film tries to criticize the BOPE for police brutality, it led the audience in his country of origin to admire the force even more. Somewhat comprehensible considering that the criminal justice in Brazil is usually inefficient and/or crooked and cases of impunity are far from uncommon, so the whole brutality felt like a CatharsisFactor for several Brazilians.

* MemeticMutation: ''Holy cow''. There's the "Number 01" routine, "PEDE PRA SAIR!" ("SAY UNCLE!"), "O senhor é um ''fanfarrão''!" ("You, sir, are a ''buffon''!"), "Você não é caveira, você é ''muleque''!" ("You're not a skull, you're a ''brat''!"), "Já avisei que isso vai dar merda" ("I warned you, that's gonna be a fuckup"), "Tá dando o cú agora, porra?" ("Are you fucking kidding me, dammit?") and many others. Unsurprisingly, most of them are [[MemeticBadass Captain Nascimento]]'s lines.

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments:
** Many of the jokes are lost for non-Portuguese speakers, but some, such as the grenade scene, definitely qualify.
** The pundit, Fortunato, in the sequel. Then he becomes involved with the corruption and crosses it.

* FountainOfMemes: In its native Brazil, that is.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
** "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajRMjErXIS8 Tropa de Elite]]", the movie's main theme by Brazilian rock band Tihuana ([[OlderThanTheyThink although it wasn't even written for the film]]).
** Not less epic is the movie's ending theme, "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF5byGFsQ2U Lado B Lado A]]" by Brazilian raggeo/rock union O Rappa.
--->''Eu sou guerreiro, sou trabalhador''
--->''E todo dia (todo dia) vou encarar''
--->''Com fé em Deus e na minha batalha''

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajRMjErXIS8 Tropa de Elite]]", the movie's main theme by Brazilian rock band Tihuana ([[OlderThanTheyThink although it wasn't even written for the film]]).

* MemeticMutation: ''Holy cow''. There's the "Number 01" routine, "PEDE PRA SAIR!" ("SAY UNCLE!"), "O senhor é um ''fanfarrão''!" ("You, sir, are a ''buffon''!"), "Você não é caveira, você é ''muleque''!" ("You're not a skull, you're a ''brat''!") and many others. Unsurprisingly, they're all from [[MemeticBadass Captain Nascimento]]'s dialogue.

* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: Many of the jokes are lost for non-Portuguese speakers, but some, such as the grenade scene, definitely qualify.

* MisaimedFandom: Arguably, Captain Nascimento, who's clearly shown as very deeply [[AntiHero flawed]] [[AntiVillain character]] at best. Didn't stop the fans though, there were even media reports of people applauding his actions when seeing the movie at cinemas! (see also ValuesDissonance) The scriptwriter, a 12 year veteran of BOPE, mentioned in an interview that he was surprised at Nascimento's popularity.
** There's also the fact that, while the film tried to criticize the BOPE for police brutality, it led the audience in his country of origin to admire the force even more. Somewhat comprehensible considering that the criminal justice in Brazil is usually inefficient and/or crooked and cases of impunity are far from uncommon, so the whole brutality felt like a CatharsisFactor for several Brazilians.

* MemeticMutation: ''Holy cow''. There's the "Number 01" routine, "PEDE PRA SAIR!" ("SAY UNCLE!"), "O senhor é um ''fanfarrão''!" ("You sir, are a ''buffon''!"), "Você não é caveira, você é ''muleque''!" ("You're not a skull, you're a brat!") and many others. Unsurprisingly, they're all from [[MemeticBadass Captain Nascimento]]'s dialogue.
* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome: Regardless of what you think of Captain Nascimento's techniques, he definitely qualifies as a walking one.

* MoralEventHorizon: Baiano sure crosses it when he [[spoiler:burns a student alive]].

%%* SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: ...and managed to win the foreign critics [[ValuesDissonance who felt the original film was "fascist"]].

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: In the movie there are only two kinds of police, Fascist cops and corrupt cops. As a result, many viewers may find it difficult to root for anyone.

* NobleDemon: Fabio has some shades of this. While he's still a DirtyCop, he's never shown doing the horrible atrocities that the corrupt cops and the militia in the second film do. He's still quite the slimeball, but he was a true friend to Matias and Neto. The closest thing to a MoralEventHorizon he has is [[spoiler: killing Rocha (Possibly, as it's unknown who really shot him)]], [[AssholeVictim but no one is sad about it]]. As a whole, Fabio also seems be a ButtMonkey to the other corrupt cops BECAUSE he's not as cruel and monstrous as they are.

* AdaptationDisplacement - Is it based on a book? (applies for both, as the book received a sequel in time for ''Tropa 2'')
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation - Captain Nascimento has been described both as a hero/anti-hero cop relentless in his fight against crime and a fascist thug whose sole purpose is to exterminate lower-class drug dealers. A third and more interesting interpretation suggest that, rather than hero or villain, Nascimento is a victim. Given that he suffers panic crises while at leisure and that his personal life crumbles throughout the first movie, it seems that his training and his job at BOPE took a severe toll on his psychological wellbeing, making him yet another casualty of the War on Drugs.

* EvenBetterSequel: To the point that it became the most attended Brazilian film ever...
** SurprisinglyImprovedSequel: ...and managed to win the foreign critics [[ValuesDissonance who felt the original film was "fascist"]].
* FountainOfMemes - In its native Brazil, that is.

* SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome - Regardless of what you think of Captain Nascimento's techniques, he definitely qualifies as a walking one.

* MoralEventHorizon - Baiano sure crosses it when he [[spoiler:burns a student alive]].

* TearJerker - [[spoiler: Neto's funeral]].

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: In the movie there are only two kinds of police, Fascist cops and corrupt cops. As a result, many viewers may find it difficult to root for anyone.

----

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: The corruption themes in the sequel are a lot more relevant as it is one of Brazil's main issues. Both films also dealt with InherentInTheSystem of political corruption that resulted in that the main characters having to deal with DirtyCop and SleazyPolitician that tends to leave BOPE as OnlySaneMan in the law enforcement department.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajRMjErXIS8 Tropa de Elite]]", the movie's main theme by Brazilian rock band Tihuana (although it wasn't even written for the film).