A hallucinatory neo-Western that pulsates with the fierce, defiant heartbeat of rural Brazil. As predatory outsiders descend upon a forgotten town, the community's buried history rises up to swallow them whole, painting the outback in righteous blood.

Bacurau

"If you come, come in peace"

29 August 2019 Brazil 131 min ⭐ 7.7 (1,121)

Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho Juliano Dornelles

Cast: Bárbara Colen, Thomás Aquino, Silvero Pereira, Sônia Braga, Udo Kier

Thriller Mystery Western

Neocolonialism and Imperialism Community and Solidarity Historical Erasure and Collective Memory Political Corruption and State Violence

Budget: $1,430,000

Box Office: $3,554,178

Bacurau - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details

Easter Eggs

The school is named 'Prof. João Carpinteiro'

This translates to 'John Carpenter', serving as a direct homage to the iconic American director. The film heavily draws from Carpenter's siege-based storytelling, particularly Assault on Precinct 13, and features one of his musical tracks.

The flying saucer drone

The drone visually references classic 1950s B-movie UFOs. It highlights the absurdity of the 'advanced' foreigners viewing the locals as an entirely different, primitive species, only for a local villager to immediately recognize it as a cheap drone.

The crushed empty coffins

Early in the film, the water truck crushes empty coffins on the road. This is a cinematic nod to classic Westerns like Django or A Fistful of Dollars, foreshadowing the high body count and signaling that the town is prepared for death.

Live executions on TV

A television broadcast in the background briefly shows public executions in São Paulo. This subtle world-building detail establishes the near-future dystopian setting and critiques the rising tide of extreme right-wing violence in modern Brazil.

🥚

View Full Movie Analysis