The Secret Agent

Does The Secret Agent deserve all of the praise that it’s been getting lately? 

Well… the performances are great, the cinematography is beautiful, and the themes are undeniably important, but even with all of that being said, the story just didn't engage me the way that I was hoping it would.

And that story follows technology specialist Marcelo who is on the run from Brazil's military dictatorship. Hoping to reunite with his son, Marcelo seeks refuge in his hometown of Recife, only to realize that the city is far from the refuge that he seeks.

So this is a story about corruption, authoritarianism, and resistance in 1977 Brazil. One that, sadly enough, does relate to current events that do occur in the modern day. 

But, while the social relevance definitely does make the movie feel important, the overall film still failed to connect with me personally. 

I did enjoy most of the entertaining moments of absurdism, but I also found that the humor almost undercut from the importance of the film’s message. By which I mean: I didn’t leave this movie thinking about the historical or cultural significance of the story being told; I left the movie thinking about a reanimated leg and a two-faced cat. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with those elements. Because, again, I did enjoy the surreal aspects of the film. I just wish that the serious and more important scenes also felt more memorable. 

I don’t think the two movies need to be compared or anything, but plenty of elements in this film did remind me of the 2024 movie I’m Still Here - another Academy Award winning film from Brazil that focuses on the military dictatorship of the 1970s. But, while acknowledging the fact that the two movies tackle their subject matter with completely different tones, I still found the story in I’m Still Here to be far more effective than the story being told here. 

Plus, I also think that the runtime in The Secret Agent is longer than it needs to be. I definitely think the story would’ve felt more effective if the runtime didn’t seem so unnecessarily bloated. 

So, do I think that The Secret Agent is being overhyped? No. Not at all. 

This is an undeniably important film, and Wagner Moura does a fantastic job of leading it. But that doesn’t change the fact that the movie didn’t really resonate with me personally. 

Still, I do think that this is an important film with an important message. One that speaks not only to the people of Brazil, but to anyone who is facing any kind of authoritarianism. Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it, after all. So, I’m glad that a movie like this does exist.

Which means that, while I may have some personal issues with it, The Secret Agent would still get a mild recommendation from me.