City of God

The movie, City of God, shows the two cities as presented by St. Augustine in his book of the same title: The Earthly and Heavenly City of God. Though not necessarily a city, the movie conveys the concept or representation of these two cities in the film. The earthly city evokes love of self and contempt of God. It seeks glory from men, and is lifted up by its own glory. Leaders in this kind of city rule just because they love to rule. They seek personal advantage and they have high regard on their own wisdom. They are seized by pride. This is what the movie, City of God is all about.

This movie is actually a series of short stories which revolves on a group of interrelated personalities of the narrator's generation in the city called, City of God. It portrays the underlying madness of this Brazilian slum life of poverty, drugs, and violence. Senseless killings have been done all over the City of God making it a very hazardous place for innocent people. What’s disturbing is that, the gangsters are training kids to kill, making them lose their conscience and gullibility because they have become unaware of the importance of life.

The homicidal, mad drug lord, Little Zee has a strong lust for power. He kills people to show his authority, and that the society will fear him. According to St. Augustine, the founder of the earthly city was a fratricide; Romulus killed Remus and found the republic. The Earthly City is divided by wars and victories that is life destroying and short-lived. Victory for Little Zee involves pride. He attains success when he destroys lives and gains something for himself in return. He thinks that the only way to achieve more power is when the other one who covets for it is gotten rid of. As what St. Augustine said, “By this crime the empire was made larger, but inferior, while otherwise it would have been less, but better.”

This movie also shows how the earthly city is divided against itself, the wicked against the wicked. Little Zee had a revenge feud involving "Knockout Ned" who’s girlfriend has been raped and his brother and father has been killed. At first, Ned joined another ferocious and raging group to take revenge for the people close to him who had been killed by Little Zee. "Knockout Ned" even imposed “no killing of innocent people” rule. But then later on, he broke his own rule when he killed one man in a bank. He said it was an exception. In the next attacks, as what the narrator said, the exception becomes the rule.

Little Zee and “Knockout Ned” had slain many people because of their wild and rowdy assaults towards each other. Both wanted to own the ability to influence solely in the City of God. Both desired for greater supremacy and command. In the end, justice prevailed among “Knockout Ned” and Little Zee because they were both killed during the police encounter. But violence still carried on when the kids learned to kill and they even wanted to take over Zee’s drug-dealing business.

The film City of God opens our eyes from possible hostility and brutality. Because of it, I learned to appreciate the Heavenly City, wherein the love of God governs the people. The Lord is glorified. The Heavenly City is ruled by leaders and everyone serve one another with love. I have learned to value the Heavenly City, wherein civil peace is well-ordered among citizens.