The Secret Agent review: Kleber Mendonça Filhos political crime thriller is a must-see
Kleber Mendonça Filho, the acclaimed director known for his works such as *Aquarius* and *Bacurau*, presents a gripping political crime thriller with *The Secret Agent*. Set predominantly in the late 1970s during Brazil’s military dictatorship, the film unfolds in Mendonça Filho’s hometown of Recife, Pernambuco, seamlessly shifting between past and present. Through the lens of one man’s harrowing experience of persecution, *The Secret Agent* delves into themes of corruption, survival, and the quest for freedom amid a backdrop of societal chaos. The film’s masterful script, striking 1970s aesthetics, and powerful performances—especially by lead actor Wagner Moura—create an immersive viewing experience that is both captivating and thought-provoking.
Wagner Moura, renowned for his roles in *Narcos* and *Civil War*, delivers an award-winning performance as Armando, a widowed university professor on the run from the authoritarian regime. Moura’s portrayal captures the internal struggle of a man grappling with paranoia and the constant threat of violence, earning him the Best Actor award at Cannes. The narrative unfolds over three acts, expertly edited to weave together multiple timelines. As Armando navigates the vibrant yet perilous Carnival atmosphere, he encounters a cast of richly drawn characters, including political refugees and corrupt officials, all while seeking a way to escape the oppressive regime. The film’s tension is palpable, as Armando’s quest for safety is fraught with danger from hitmen and corrupt police, exemplified by the chilling presence of police chief Euclides and his enforcers.
Mendonça Filho’s direction is complemented by a stunning visual style, characterized by the evocative colors and design of the 1970s. The film’s cinematography captures the beauty and turmoil of Recife, featuring iconic landmarks and a nostalgic aesthetic that enhances the storytelling. The inclusion of archival photographs and recorded conversations adds a layer of authenticity, transforming the film into a fictional artifact worthy of deeper examination. Ultimately, *The Secret Agent* is not just a narrative about a historical moment of authoritarianism; it is a deeply human exploration of resilience and the fight against corruption. As Mendonça Filho aptly stated, the film seeks to portray the complexities of that era without falling into the clichés of typical dictatorship narratives. With its nationwide release set for late November 2025, *The Secret Agent* promises to be a must-see for those interested in powerful storytelling that resonates with contemporary issues of freedom and justice.
Aquarius
and
Bacurau
director Kleber Mendonça Filho’s
The Secret Agent
weaves a complex, time-jumping political crime thriller, focusing on one man’s experience of persecution.
Mainly set in the late ’70s in the Brazilian writer/director’s hometown of Recife, Pernambuco, but moving fluidly between the past and present, the film predominantly takes place in the tumultuous years of Brazil’s military dictatorship. It’s a heavy topic explored with humanity, boasting such a compelling script, impeccable acting, and striking 1970s aesthetic that it’s impossible to look away.
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In the lead,
Narcos
and
Civil War
star
Wagner Moura
gives a tremendously interior performance as a man justifiably paranoid in his mission to escape his country’s authoritarian regime. There’s a reason Moura took Best Actor at Cannes, with Mendonça Filho snatching Best Director;
The Secret Agent
sees both dive headfirst into the complexities of rampant corruption and desperately searching for a way out.
The Secret Agent
flicks between past and present to craft a complex narrative.
Wagner Moura in “The Secret Agent.”
Credit: Victor Juca
Over three acts superbly edited by Eduardo Serrano and Matheus Farias, Mendonça Filho’s film runs on multiple timelines in the past and present. In 1977, we meet Armando (Moura), who’s going by the alias Marcelo, a man newly arrived in a residential complex in Recife during the annual Carnival period. A small Kodak box fits all of his possessions, and he gives little away about himself. The apartments are run by vigilant matriarch Dona Sebastiana (Tânia Maria), and Armando is welcomed with open arms. Among omnipresent Carnival celebrations, Armando is warmly introduced by his septuagenarian guardian to his neighbours. They’re also political refugees, though not all enjoy using the term. There’s Thereza Vitória (Isabél Zuaa), who has fled the Angolan Civil War with her partner; there’s single mother Claudia (Hermila Guedes) whose past beyond her dental profession remains her own mystery to bear. Many live under threat of death, like our protagonist.
Meanwhile, corruption runs rife through the city streets, as do careening cop vans full of crooked officials, hooting, hollering, and unabashedly lawless. The most prominent in
The Secret Agent
is police chief Euclides (Robério Diógenes) and his bodyguard-like sons Arlindo (Ítalo Martins) and Sergio (Igor de Araújo), who enter the story by being pulled out of Carnival when a man’s severed leg is found in a dead shark — and this is by no means the limit of the violence ahead in
The Secret Agent
.
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Slowly, the film reveals the seriousness of Armando’s situation: he’s a widowed university professor, specialising in electrical engineering, who is fleeing persecution amid the country’s military dictatorship. In his past, standing up to corporate greed and corrupt government bureaucracy has left him vulnerable and robbed him of his beloved wife Fátima (
New Bandits
‘ Alice Carvalho). Getting out is no easy feat, as corruption, surveillance, and sinister men orbit Armando at every turn — including two unnervingly unflappable hitmen, Bobbi (
Ferrari
‘s Gabriel Leone) and his stepfather Augusto (Roney Villela), on his trail.
As well as Dona Sebastiana, others work under the radar to help those persecuted escape the country, such as Elza (
Vermelho Monet
‘s Maria Fernanda Cândido), who offers a form of witness protection, promising passports in a few days. A placement within the city’s Identification Institute is Armando’s best chance of finding physical proof of his mother’s identity before he leaves Brazil with his young son, who lives with his grandparents.
In the present, two young investigators in São Paulo listen to cassettes of recorded conversations from Armando’s time, and we’re left wondering where exactly their research is leading. Here, and through Mendonça Filho’s use of archival photographs, the film becomes a fictional artifact in itself, a story worthy of study and examination. But it’s the lived-in performances by the actors themselves that bring this unstable historical period to life, with Moura out front.
Wagner Moura gives a tremendous performance in
The Secret Agent.
Tasked with multiple roles across time periods, Moura earns every inch of his Cannes Best Actor award in
The Secret Agent
. The role was specifically written by Mendonça Filho for him, after all. A classic hero brave enough to challenge powerful, corrupt entities while rightly fearing for his life and his family, Armando predominantly internalises the level of serious threat constantly weighing on him. Moura’s subtlety and frustration imbues our protagonist with a deeply human valiance, one that makes us as viewers want to protect him at all costs.
Embodying a true ensemble affair,
The Secret Agent
sees Moura surrounded by bold, outlandish performances, all the way from iconic German actor Udo Kier as expat tailor Hans to
Greta
star Diógenes as the city’s corrupt chief of police. Notably, Armando finds sanctuary with his father-in-law Sr. Alexandre (a wonderful performance by
Bacurau
‘s Carlos Francisco) who owns the local Cinema São Luiz, showing Brazilian films alongside American horror films like
Jaws
and
The Omen
that cause outright hysteria in audiences. Here, and through Evgenia Alexandrova’s exquisite cinematography, you can feel Mendonça Filho’s reverence for cinema as a filmmaker, critic, and curator — and its importance in turbulent times. In fact,
The Secret Agent
is a perfect pairing with the director’s 2023 documentary
Pictures of Ghosts
(
Retratos Fantasmas
), which traces cinema in his hometown of Recife.
The Secret Agent
runs on a striking ’70s aesthetic.
Ítalo Martins, Robério Diógenes, Wagner Moura, and Igor de Araújo in “The Secret Agent.”
Credit: Victor Juca
Despite the paranoia and corruption that pervades the narrative, Mendonça Filho’s film is a stunning ’70s affair. Shot in anamorphic Panavision, it’s nothing short of a feast for the eyes (before it’s not). Each scene comes awash with the decade’s signature oranges, browns, and yellows, with production designer Thales Junqueira’s meticulous work on full display. Architect Chu Ming Silveira’s iconic, egg-shaped, yellow public phone booths known as Orelhões (or “Big Ears”) form a vital part of both the storyline and city landscape, while costume designer Rita Azevedo finds glorious authenticity in period-specific outfits.
Despite the political upheaval on the ground, Mendonça Filho also reverently and accurately captures the visuals of Recife, with Armando taking in gorgeous cityscapes from the Cinema São Luiz projection room, bathed in sunlight, and the street scenes often focusing on the members of the community caught up in the chaos. There’s also a little magical realism thrown in for unexpected measure, and composers Mateus Alves and Tomaz Alves Souza pull everything together with an immersive, atmospheric score.
Ultimately, Mendonça Filho’s film explores a time of political corruption, violence, and warranted paranoia through a human lens, with the director saying in a press statement, “The challenge was to make a film about the logic of that time without ticking all the boxes of the dictatorship movie.” With Moura’s powerful performance framed by a reverent, authentic aesthetic,
The Secret Agent
is a deeply humanised look at a historical moment of authoritarianism and government corruption. It’s a must-see.
UPDATE: Nov. 20, 2025, 6:14 p.m. EST
“The Secret Agent” was reviewed out of BFI London Film Festival. This article was originally published on Oct. 11, 2025.
The Secret Agent
hits cinemas in New York on Nov. 26 and Los Angeles Dec. 5, with nationwide release to follow.
The film will be released in the UK and Ireland Feb. 20, 2026.
