Bacurau 2020

In the dusty, rural settlement of Bacurau, nestled in the heart of western Pernambuco, a somber atmosphere settles over the community as they gather to bid farewell to Carmelita, the revered matriarch who had woven the fabric of their lives together. Her granddaughter Teresa returns after years away, bearing gifts of medicine and a sense of nostalgia, only to find her hometown beset by a series of inexplicable events that defy explanation. The once-familiar landscape of Bacurau begins to unravel, as if the very foundations of reality are shifting: online maps and satellite images conspire against it, mobile phone signals vanish into thin air, and an enigmatic UFO-shaped drone hovers above the town like a harbinger of doom.

Meanwhile, the simmering dispute over water rights from the local river has reached a boiling point. Tony Junior, the corrupt mayor of Serra Verde, pays a visit to Bacurau, bearing gifts of old books and stale food, but lacking in one crucial aspect: the precious liquid itself. His true intentions are shrouded in secrecy, as the townspeople hide from his presence like rabbits sensing danger.

The arrival of a tanker truck filled with water is met with relief, only for it to be marred by the discovery of bullet holes riddling its tank. As tensions escalate, chaos erupts when horses stampede through town, sending two local men in search of answers to the nearby farm from where they originated. There, they stumble upon a gruesome scene: the family that once called this land home lies slaughtered and lifeless.

In the aftermath, a pair of southern motorcyclists pays a visit to the foreigners who have taken up residence in Bacurau, led by Michael (a German expatriate with over 40 years of experience in the United States). The couple is chastised for their actions, which deprived the group of two potential “points” – an arcane system that governs the rules of engagement. In a gruesome display of violence, the foreigners exact revenge on the couple, reducing them to mere statistics.

As the body count rises, the townspeople arm themselves against the foreign invaders, who show no mercy in their pursuit. The electricity flickers and dies, plunging Bacurau into darkness, as if the very fabric of reality is unraveling. Amidst this chaos, Pacote, Teresa’s former lover, seeks out Lunga, a revolutionary leader hiding among the townspeople, and convinces him to join his fight against the invaders. As alliances are forged and broken, the people of Bacurau must confront their own mortality and the true nature of their existence.

As daybreak descends upon the dusty landscape, the foreign interlopers embark on a hunting expedition, their naivety slowly giving way to the unforgiving grasp of the locals. In a gruesome display of unrelenting ferocity, the townsfolk systematically overwhelm and eliminate their unwanted visitors, with one notable exception: Michael (actor’s name), whose futile struggles ultimately culminate in his capture.

Meanwhile, Tony Junior materializes on the scene, commandeering a lavish minibus to collect the remnants of the foreign party. However, when he beholds the devastating aftermath of the locals’ triumphant slaughter, he feigns ignorance, attempting to distance himself from the carnage. It is only when Michael’s anguished cries for help pierce the air that Tony Junior’s facade crumbles, his conscience momentarily stirred.

As a grotesque form of punishment, the mayor is dispatched to a desolate fate, his naked and bound body trudging across the arid expanse on the back of a mule. In stark contrast, Michael finds himself entombed alive in an underground cell, his defiant screams echoing through the darkness as he prophetically declares, “This is only the beginning.”