The Elite Squad/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Adaptation Displacement - Is it based on a book? (applies for both, as the book received a sequel in time for Tropa 2)
  • Complete Monster: Baiano, the villain, certainly qualifies.
    • In the sequel, Rocha and the rest of the corrupt cops are this taken to eleven. In fact, pretty much everyone in the sequel other than Nascimento (who is much less brutal in this movie, but still awesome) and Fraga. They are horrible, horrible people, not much unlike reality.
  • Crowning Moment of Awesome - Regardless of what you think of Captain Nascimento's techniques, he definitely qualifies as a walking one.
    • The sequel offers one for everyone. For example, Matias's plan to clean the slums, Fraga managing to start a CPI against the rampant corruption in Rio and Nascimento's shootout with the corrupt cops.
  • Crowning Moment of Funny - Many of the jokes are lost for non-Portuguese speakers, but some, such as the grenade scene, definitely qualify.
    • The pundit, Fortunato, in the sequel. Then he becomes involved with the corruption and crosses it.
  • Crowning Music of Awesome - "Tropa de Elite", the movie's main theme by Brazilian rock band Tihuana (although it wasn't even written for the film).
  • Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy: In the movie there are only two kinds of police, Fascist cops and corrupt cops.
  • Ear Worm - Besides the Tihuana song, the song from the opening, "Rap das Armas" (although a version not in the film became the real hit, even in Scandinavia!)
    • Try listening to that last one while playing the Modern Warfare 2 levels set in the favela. Can't get any more appropriate than this.
  • Fountain of Memes - In its native Brazil, that is.
  • Internet Backdraft - Go to some orkut community and comment that you think Captain Nascimento is a bloodthirsty fascist. If you survive, go to some other and say he is exactly what society needs. Then tell us the results.
    • This is mostly due to the Brazilians' growing frustation with the ever-present corruption, not only on the Government, but in its police force as well. Nascimento's radical hate of corruption makes him admirable.
  • Misaimed Fandom: Arguably, Captain Nascimento, who's clearly shown as very deeply flawed character at best. Didn't stop the fans though, there were even media reports of people applauding his actions when seeing the movie at cinemas! (see also Values Dissonance) The scriptwriter, a 12 year veteran of BOPE, mentioned in an interview that he was surprised at Nascimento's popularity.
  • Memetic Badass: Nascimento received his own version of Chuck Norris Facts in Brazil.
  • Memetic Mutation: Holy cow. There's the "Number 01" routine, "PEDE PRA SAIR!" ("SAY UNCLE!"), "O senhor é um fanfarrão!" ("You sir, are a buffon!"), "Você não é caveira, você é muleque!" ("You're not a skull, you're a brat!") and many others. Unsurprisingly, they're all from Captain Nascimento's dialogue.
  • Moral Event Horizon - Baiano sure crosses it when he burns a student alive.
    • In the sequel, it's hard to say where the militias cross the line into the unforgivable, since they already start very rotten. Maybe when they kill Matias without warning or when they force a journalist who was documenting them to strip, rape her, kill her and burn her corpse.
  • Tear Jerker - Neto's funeral.
    • And Matias's. And Nascimento's son in intensive care after being shot.
  • Unfortunate Implications: Abundant.