Os Imortais

"Os Imortais" is without a doubt one of the best, or probably, the best Portuguese film ever made. It certainly is a landmark on the Portuguese cinema's scene; this movie his worth every minute.

Every year, four ex-soldiers that call themselves "Os Imortais" (translated "The Immortals"), get together with four women to celebrate war deeds and to remember the old days, back in the war. On the summer of 1985, tired of their monotonous lives they decide to rob a bank. Joaquim Malarranha, a chief inspector from the local police about to retire, crosses their path and will spend his last days of duty trying to solve the robbery. But has he carries on with his investigation, he discovers more than he could ever think of.

A movie that focuses on strange and disturbing actions of ex-soldiers on their attempt to fit in the modern society and to mend errors committed in the past, and on a veteran cop who's about to leave his working-life behind.

João Pedro de Vasconcelos managed to assemble a cast with vast qualities; it's a pleasure to watch Nicolau Breyner's performance. The story is very solid and can really catch the viewer's attention; it keeps the anxiety of knowing what really happened during the robbery and the days that followed it.

"A bandit always forgets that there is, at least, another bandit smarter than him."

"Os Imortais" is indeed a very competently made heist movie that brings together a consistent cast and a captivating story. It deals with the inability of war veterans to resume their old life after they've been trained to discard their emotions and act like killing machines only to be later unable to readapt to their old life. Crime becomes the only thing they can be good at and they reconvene their old group for a robbery. Sadly, despite some very effective scenes near the end, this human aspects take a back seat to the investigational thriller it mostly is. The casting managed to fit in the same movie a wide array of well known Portuguese (and not only since Polanski's wife Emanuelle Seigner also stars) actors and TV personalities ranging from the extremely successful Joaquim de Almeida and Nicolau Breyner to up and coming young comedians like Maria Rueff, Carla Salgueiro and Rui Unas playing against character. Certainly worth a view or two.

Well, this is just an excellent movie from Vasconcellos. The characters are very well worked out, the actors are very good, especially Unas and Breyner. Towards the middle the film seems to become a little slow, but drama soon picks up again until the end.

The exorcism of the African colonial war, where about one million Portuguese fought in the sixties and early seventies, is yet to be completed, but no doubt this film is an important contribution to the process. It depicts whit dark humor, disenchantment and a strange sadness the difficult lives that virtually all Portuguese had in the years after the war: those who fought in Africa; their relatives and friends in Europe; and those who lived in the colonies and had to return.

A great portuguese movie, with a great cast. Nicolau Breyner at his best. the movie turns around 4 ex-war soldiers, that, after returning home have to find something to do with their lifes. and what better thing to do than rob a bank after a trip to Algarve holiday´s paradise. Some good action and a quiet few scenes of hot sex !! A must...

Fantastic Portuguese movie. One of the best ever made in my country. Congratulations to the director António-Pedro Vasconcelos that made his lifetime masterpiece, i think, and to a fabulous cast. Nicolau Breyner and Paula Mora at their best.

Breyner proved to be one of the best Portuguese actors of all time.

I've also liked the performance of Rui Unas. It was a surprise due to that it was is debut in the film industry.

A small detail in the film caught my attention: In the jacket of inspector Malarranha was a small pin of SL Benfica that is a very big soccer club in Portugal and that the director is a big fan, and so am I :).

With this film quality people will come more to the movies to see Portuguese films, for sure.