Saturday, February 28, 2026

The Secret Agent - Review: A NARRATIVE KALEIDOSCOPE OF 1977 BRAZIL


The Secret Agent (2025)
★★★½ A NARRATIVE KALEIDOSCOPE OF 1977 BRAZIL

By Ray Manukay

Official Release
Nov 26, 2025
Rotten Tomatoes
94%
Letterboxd
4.1/5
Running Time
2h 41m

The Official Trailer

📖 Official Synopsis

Set in Brazil during the turbulent final days of the military dictatorship in 1977, the narrative follows Marcelo, a highly skilled and deeply compromised secret agent on the run. Seeking refuge from his past and hunting handlers, he attempts to disappear into the vibrant, coastal landscape of Recife. However, Marcelo soon discovers that escaping the tendrils of a corrupted state apparatus is impossible as paranoia mounts and systemic corruption threatens to swallow him whole. Forced into a deadly game of cat-and-mouse, he must utilize his lethal survival instincts to navigate a treacherous underworld of shifting alliances, hidden surveillance, and imminent state-sanctioned violence.

👥 Expanded Cast Profile

  • Wagner Moura as Marcelo
  • Maria Fernanda Cândido as Helena
  • Iraci de Jesus as Dona Joana
  • Thomas Aquino as The Handler
  • Silvero Pereira as The Informant
  • Lázaro Ramos as Chief Inspector

🎬 Expanded Crew Profile

  • Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
  • Screenwriter: Kleber Mendonça Filho
  • Producers: Emilie Lesclaux, Saïd Ben Saïd
  • Cinematographer: Pedro Sotero
  • Film Editor: Matheus Farias
  • Production Designer: Thales Junqueira

🏰 Industrial & Production Brief

Produced by CinemaScópio and SBS Productions, The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto) serves as an expansive political thriller tracking deep state espionage. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho grounded the production firmly on location in Recife, Brazil, utilizing practical, mid-century architectural designs to capture the oppressive atmosphere of the late 1970s. Rather than relying on digitized backdrops, the crew completely transformed urban streets and coastal corridors into period-accurate sets, leveraging specific tracking shots and anamorphic lenses to isolate star Wagner Moura against the urban sprawl. Cinematographer Pedro Sotero utilized a texture-heavy palette with heavy shadows, emphasizing the omnipresent corporate and governmental surveillance themes that underline this historic era.

Where You've Seen Them
WAGNER MOURA
  • Narcos (Pablo Escobar)
  • Civil War (Joel)
  • Elite Squad (Captain Nascimento)
  • Elysium (Spider)
KLEBER MENDONÇA FILHO (Director)
  • Bacurau
  • Aquarius
  • Neighboring Sounds
"The Secret Agent is one part Tarantino, one part Lynch, sprinkled with DePalma and Scorsese." - Ray Manukay
Production Info
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Lead: Wagner Moura
Setting: 1977 Brazil
Style: Non-linear / Chaptered
Cinephile Fun Facts
  • Period Accuracy: The production relied heavily on practical effects and vintage equipment to capture the specific aesthetic of 1970s Recife.
  • Tarantino Influence: Like Pulp Fiction, the film uses a chapter-based structure to fragment its timeline.
  • Auteur Vision: Director Filho is known for using genre tropes to explore Brazilian social and political history.

THE PROS
  • Mesmerizing lead performance by Wagner Moura
  • Impeccable, immersive 1977 production design
  • Daring, non-linear "tapestry" storytelling
  • Rich, quirky atmosphere and surreal tone
THE CONS
  • Fragmented plot may be confusing for some
  • Demands high level of audience patience
Ray's Review
The Verdict: 


★ ★ ★ 1/2

The Secret Agent, directed by Kleber Mendonqa Filho, is a narrative kaleidoscope which seems to be telling several unique unrelated stories at the same time. The story doesn’t burden itself with trying to spoon feed a coherent plot that explains itself clearly. Instead it drops the viewer in the middle of 1977 Brazil and challenges the viewer to catch up. 

While the viewer is trying to decipher the thrust of the main story, of a man, played by Wagner Moura, on the run, Filho mischievously, to the delight of the audience, takes them on seemingly unrelated side tracks. Are they unrelated? Or does it all come together at some point? We are forced to stay on our toes. Lest we miss a piece of a puzzle. 

What this does, is that is it all creates a diverse tapestry, that seems to have a life of it’s own. Once we get to the main thread of the film, almost an hour in. We have settled into a state of indifference about the main story, content with just absorbing the full quirky atmosphere of the film.

The Secret Agent is anchored by a mesmerizing Wagner Moura. Who traverses the film with a world weariness and emotional weight that’s grounded and moving, even when things spiral into the surreal.

Some compare the film to a foreign language Tarantino-esque story. A fair comparison. The Secret Agent is even broken up into chapters. But it is not as easily digestible as Tarantino’s films.. It demands the audience to follow along loyally. Because of this challenging format. Some viewers might get distracted or meander to a point of frustrating confusion.

But sticking with the film is rewarded, as the final act starts to tie everything together.

What is undeniable is the production value of The Secret Agent. The film successfully transports the audience to 1977. One can feel the sweat and lack of modern day amenities, like cellphones, computers, even decent air conditioning. The clothing styles, city landscapes, typewriters, diesel powered cars, movie theatre projectors, and rusty file cabinets are all period accurate. The art design alone is incredible to take all in. 

The Secret Agent is an interesting ride. Its definitely a demanding, entertaining one. One part Tarantino, one part Lynch, sprinkled with DePalma and Scorsese. The Secret Agent is a tribute to all those films. But it can be confusing if one insists on letting their mind race trying to form a coherent through line. The Secret Agent is best being enjoyed by simply absorbing and trusting the action.





"A highly recommended tribute to the masters of cinema."

FINAL VERDICT


The Secret Agent is a demanding but rewarding ride. It’s best enjoyed by simply absorbing and trusting the action rather than trying to race ahead of it. A highly recommended tribute to the masters of cinema.

★★★½
Full review on LETTERBOXD

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