Night Watcher

Night Watcher (O Doutrinador) despite its late release in France deserves our full attention because it shows that Brazil is able to compete with current American superhero movies and benefits not only from successful action scenes but also knows how to make perfect use of the important inequalities within Brazilian society. Based on the homonymous comic book series created by Luciano Cunha. The film is written by Gabriel Wainer, Luciano Cunha, L.G. Bayão, Rodrigo Lages and Guilherme Siman is directed by Gustavo Bonafé and Fábio Mendonça.

Miguel (Kiko Pissolato) is a federal agent of the D.A.E. (Special Armed Division), highly qualified and expert in weapons. After suffering a trauma (the loss of his child), he assumes the identity of a masked vigilante. The Night Watcher decides to take justice into his own hands by exterminating politicians and businessmen from corrupt construction companies. His biggest goal now is to fight a gang of politicians and bandits who have taken over Brazilian politics and have begun to rule the country with only their own interests in mind. In discovering this film, which is inspired as much by the DC Comics universe (Arrow comes to mind) as by Marvel Comics (The Punisher), one must recognize an undeniable know-how to create a world in which corruption is omnipresent, including in the police force.

Where Hollywood studios play on overkill to create Dantesque action scenes, Nightwatcher (O Doutrinador) prefers to emphasize the psychology of the characters and show how an over-trained federal agent becomes a real killing machine and is helped by a hacker to perfect his punitive actions towards corrupt people ready to do anything to make money. Realistically pointing out the real corruption in Brazil, this film not only rides the wave of violent superhero movies, but leads us to question whether or not to use violence to put an end to such a political system.

Based on a perfect rhythm with many twists and turns, Nightwatcher (O Doutrinador) is well worth discovering when it is released on VOD in France on January 27th.

Night Watcher
A film by Gustavo Bonafé, Fábio Mendonça
Produced by Sandi Adamiu, Marcio Fraccaroli, Bruno Wainer
Production: Universo Guará, Paris Entretenimento, Downtown Filmes, Space
Screenplay by Luciano Cunha, Gabriel Wainer, Rodrigo Lages, L.G. Bayon, William Siman
From O Doutrinador by Luciano Cunha
With Kiko Pissolato, Tainá Medina, Samuel d'Assise, Nicolas Trevijano, Tuca Andrada, Marilia Gabriela, Natallia Rodrigues, Natália Lage, Helena Ranaldi, Eucir de Souza, Lucy Ramos, Eduardo Moscovis, Helena Luz
Cinematography: Rodrigo Carvalho
Edited by Margherita Pennacchi
Distribution: Downtown Filmes, Paris Filmes (Brazil), Condor Films (France)
Release date: November 1, 2018 (Brazil), January 27, 2021 (France)

Seen on January 23, 2021

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