In a dystopian near-future in Brazil, an authoritarian government orders all citizens of African descent to move to Africa – creating chaos, protests, and an underground resistance movement that inspires the nation.
Lázaro Ramos co-wrote and directed this adaptation based on his popular play. “Executive Order” imagines a world where the Brazilian government refuses reparations for centuries of African slavery and oppression and instead orders the citizens to repatriate to Africa. After attorney Antonio (Alfred Enoch) loses his lawsuit for compensation against the government, they declare anyone of African descent to be “melanized.” His friends and community deal with it in various ways but most flee to an underground network called “the Afro-Bunker.”
Ramos is a very popular artist and co-starred in one of my favorite films, 2002’s “Carandiru.” Based on a true story, that film focused on a fascinating group of prisoners and the shocking massacre carried out by Brazilian authorities. Ramos casts other veteran actors like Taís Araújo and the multi-talented Seu Jorge as Andre. Andre was one of my favorite characters, proud of his heritage, cracking jokes, and wearing amazing West African prints.
Ramos’ direction is strong but there’s a bit too much reliance on slo-mo during dramatic scenes. He captures the ugly side of fascist politics and the beauty of Brazil’s urban sprawl meeting the thick Amazon rainforest. I can foresee comparisons to the recent masterpiece, “Bacurau,” which similarly dealt with colonialism in a bleak near-future setting. Where “Bacurau” succeeded in blending genres and ideas, “Executive Order” falls a bit short of its larger goals. It’s an ambitious endeavor but I still enjoyed it and hope Ramos keeps creating.
“Executive Order” recently had its Texas Premiere at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival
