Wagner Moura in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
In theaters on limited release from December 5 is ‘The Secret Agent’ a stirring political thriller and neo-history from Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho.
“Brazil 1977, a time of great mischief.”
Release Date: Nov 26, 2025
Run Time: 2 hr 41 min
Budget: $5,000,000
The cast is led by Wagner Moura (‘Narcos’), Carlos Francisco (‘Bacurau’), Tânia Maria and Robério Diógenes (‘Greta’).
Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Civil War’
Initial Thoughts
Maria Fernanda Cândido in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
If you’ve seen Wagner Moura show up in the likes of ‘Narcos,’ last year’s terrifying look at an riven America, ‘Civil War’ or any number of projects where he steals scenes in supporting roles, ‘The Secret Agent’ will convince you that he’s not only a great actor, but a star in the making.
This collaboration with politically-minded director Kleber Mendonça Filho sets up him for a truly great performance, and he’s supported by an excellent ensemble for a movie that has been named as Brazil’s entry for Best International Feature Film at next year’s Oscars.
Script and Direction
Wagner Moura in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
Filho both wrote the script and directed this one, and it’s another winner from a filmmaker who already has some good movies on his resume.
With ‘The Secret Agent,’ he digs into a troubled part of Brazil’s real past, adding fiction to harsh reality to portray a time when science and truth were under attack, while it feel urgently relevant to today’s audiences.
The filmmaker smartly juggles three distinct time periods, but always keeps the story grounded in its characters and maintains the tension throughout while also finding time to show nuance and emotion.
Cast and Performances
(L to R): Wagner Moura, João Vitor Silva, Hermila Guedes, Isabél Zuaa, Licínio Januário and Ítalo Martins in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
Wagner Moura has long proved he’s got what it takes as an actor, but he’s rarely gotten a role as satisfying as this one. Roles, in fact, since he plays the main character, and also the man’s grown son in a timeline strand that weaves in and out of the main storyline.
Yet while this is certainly Moura’s movie, that’s to take nothing away from the likes of Tânia Maria, who gives a powerhouse supporting performance as the kindly, yet steel-spined woman who helps Moura’s character when he goes into hiding.
Around them are a blend of other “refugees” and the criminal elements hunting them down, and all the roles work well.
Final Thoughts
(L to R): Robério Diógenes, Wagner Moura and Igor de Araújo in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
It’s not hard to see why this is Brazil’s Oscar entry – ‘The Secret Agent’ is an urgent, audacious and superbly realized movie that works on various levels.
‘The Secret Agent’ receives 90 out of 100.
Wagner Moura in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
What’s the story of ‘The Secret Agent’?
In 1977, a technology expert flees from a mysterious past and returns to his hometown of Recife in search of peace.
He soon realizes that the city is far from being the refuge he seeks.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Secret Agent’?
- Wagner Moura as Armando/Marcelo Alves/Adult Fernando
- Carlos Francisco as Sr. Alexandre
- Tânia Maria as Dona Sebastiana
- Robério Diógenes as Euclides
- Maria Fernanda Cândido as Elza
- Gabriel Leone as Bobbi
Wagner Moura in ‘The Secret Agent.’ Photo: Neon.
Movies and TV Series Featuring Wagner Moura:
Buy Tickets: ‘The Secret Agent’ Movie Showtimes
Buy Wagner Moura Movies and TV on Amazon
Read the original article here