Alma do Brasil: A long, dusty slog through history

Is this for you?

If you have a high tolerance for slow, deliberate historical dramas that feel like they were dug out of a time capsule, you might actually enjoy Alma do Brasil. If you want a punchy war movie with modern editing, stay far, far away. This isn't a popcorn flick.

The film is essentially one long, exhausting walk through the Brazilian backlands. It’s not interested in making war look cool or heroic. It’s interested in how miserable it is to drag a regiment through a swamp while everything falls apart.

Sometimes the camera just stays on a face for way too long. I found myself staring at the texture of the uniforms, wondering how hot it must have been for these guys. It has a weird, static quality that reminded me of The Scar of Shame in how it treats its subjects with a sort of quiet, detached reverence.

The pacing is… well, it's not really there. It just happens. It’s like watching a painting slowly rot in the sun.

Odd observations:

• The sound design is mostly just wind and boots hitting dirt. It gets hypnotic.
• There’s a specific scene involving a horse that I’m still not sure was intentional or just a lucky capture of a bored animal.
• The dialogue is incredibly formal, which feels strange against the backdrop of such physical chaos.

It’s not as kinetic as Battleship Potemkin, that’s for sure. It doesn't want to thrill you. It wants to bore you until you realize that history is mostly just waiting around to get hungry or sick.

I caught myself checking my watch, but then I stopped. There’s something oddly hypnotic about how little the movie tries to please the audience. It’s a stubborn piece of work.

It’s not perfect. Honestly, it’s kind of a mess. But I’d take this kind of mess over a polished, soulless production any day of the week. 🎞️