The Skinny- City of Men is the sequel to the 2003 phenomenon, City of God. City of Men tells the story of teenagers Acerola and Laranjinha growing up in a culture dictated by violence and street gangs. With their 18th birthdays fast approaching, Laranjinha sets out to find the father he never met, while Acerola struggles to raise his own young son. But when they suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a gang war, the lifelong friends are forced to confront a shocking secret from their shared past.
The Verdict- In a word, disappointing. The viewer should not go into the film expecting a continuation of City of God, as this film tells a completely different and unrelated story (while utilizing many of the actors featured in City of God). The driving forces behind each film is also quite different as where City of God was a more plot and character driven film, City of Men focuses more on the emotional aspects that come with the bonds of friendship and family. This theme however, is not explored to any satisfying level and much of the film seems to be running on empty. Should only be seen by the fervent fans of the first one.
Two and a half stars out of five **1/2
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