‘The Secret Agent’ Review: The Dense, Sociopolitical Tale the Cinematic World Needs More Of

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Big-budget blockbusters, particularly those dominating the film landscape today, have left a gap for sophisticated, adult thrillers. This is especially noticeable in the political thriller genre, which struggles to capture the extreme nature of modern politics. As a result, many filmmakers are looking to the past for insight, and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto) does just that – it explores history to shed light on our present.

I’m really excited about The Secret Agent – it’s been nominated for an Academy Award! I’ve heard amazing things about it from the festival circuit. The movie centers around a former professor who gets tangled up in the web of a controlling government in Brazil. Honestly, trying to explain the plot in detail would spoil a lot of the enjoyment. The director, Mendonça, does such a fantastic job of slowly revealing this rich world and all the interesting characters living in Recife, and how they’re all connected. It’s a film that really pulls you in and lets you discover things as it goes along.

The film portrays a Brazil overwhelmed by both those fleeing political persecution and the powerful politicians openly committing corruption and violence. While the story focuses on how people share information and fight against oppression, director Mendonça makes a striking choice by constantly switching between the past – where the events unfold – and the present – where we see people listening to recordings of that same story. This technique feels unusual at first, but it slowly reveals itself as a clever way to frame the narrative and offer a particular perspective. We realize we’re not necessarily seeing the objective truth, but rather the remembered version of events as told by one individual.

Armando, portrayed by [actor’s name], is a perfect central character, leading us through the film’s complex web of politics, spying, and everyday life. Through a large cast, the director explores how people in exile find connection in small moments and learn to deal with risky social situations. The Secret Agent isn’t a typical spy story; it focuses more on the weariness of simply trying to survive.


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The film isn’t all heavy subject matter; Mendonça also enjoys playful absurdity and lightheartedness in both the story and how it’s presented. Like his previous film, Bacurau, which drew inspiration from John Carpenter, this movie clearly demonstrates his love for genre cinema. This is visible in stylistic choices – such as recreating famous shots from Jaws within the film itself – and certain plot points. One particularly clever section reimagines the Brazilian urban legend of the Perna Cabeluda (“hairy leg”) and explores how it was used as a coded way to discuss the country’s military dictatorship.

The film’s use of horror elements, even graphic ones like a hairy leg attacking people, doesn’t undermine its serious themes—it actually highlights them effectively. Udo Kier’s brief appearance perfectly balances this approach. While his established on-screen persona leads us to initially suspect him, we soon learn his character is also a refugee grappling with difficult circumstances, reminding us that appearances can be deceiving and everyone has a complex story.


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Mendonça’s film deeply examines how people cope with and challenge the social and political pressures that keep them subdued. While framed as a classic noir story, the film actually uses this style to explore the effects of class, race, and power within a dictatorship. Everything, from the cultural details to the beautiful sets, costumes, and music, reinforces these themes. This thoughtful approach is typical of Mendonça, who started as a film critic, and builds on the historical research he did for his earlier documentary, Pictures of Ghosts, which clearly informed the film’s rich cultural background.

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I just finished watching The Secret Agent, and it’s a really interesting, thoughtful film – the kind that sticks with you. It’s definitely not a simple watch, though. It’s complex and doesn’t spoon-feed you answers, and honestly, I can see how some viewers might find it a bit frustrating. But I think that’s actually one of its strengths. Filho isn’t interested in easy resolutions or satisfying conclusions. What we get instead is a film that bravely confronts difficult history, and that’s exactly what cinema needs more of right now – movies that aren’t afraid to show us the messy realities that have shaped our present.

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2025-12-24 18:37