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The Division

Name: The Division
Director: Vicente Amorim
Released: 2020
Duration: 134 min

Representation Score

5.1/10

Fair

2020

Director

Vicente Amorim

Runtime

134 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Division is a gritty crime thriller that excels in social realism and the deconstruction of state authority. By portraying the police as a compromised entity, the film moves away from traditional heroic archetypes toward a more complex, morally ambiguous landscape. While the film effectively uses its Brazilian setting to explore racial and class hierarchies, it lacks depth in identity-based representation. The narrative is heavily driven by masculine-coded action clichés, leaving little room for diverse gender or LGBTQ+ perspectives. Ultimately, the film serves as a critique of institutional failure, trading conventional law-and-order narratives for a study of systemic corruption and the frictions inherent in Brazilian societal structures.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Division have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include explicit LGBTQ+ character arcs or narratives that go beyond the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does The Division portray gender?

Fair

The story focuses on security forces and controversial agents, roles that traditionally emphasize masculine leadership.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Division?

Good

Set in Rio de Janeiro, the film uses the city's diverse racial landscape to explore tensions between thugs and security forces, highlighting race and class issues.

How does The Division represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The story challenges conventional clichés by framing the police as an entity to be fought, critiquing institutional integrity and the stability of the state.

Does The Division include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no documented evidence regarding the inclusion of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

Uses the Rio de Janeiro setting to explore complex racial and social hierarchies.
Deconstructs state authority and institutional integrity effectively.
Engages with systemic frictions rather than relying on traditional heroic clichés.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight narratives.
Relies heavily on masculine-coded leadership and physical ability to act.
Does not include characters representing visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

In the 90s, Rio de Janeiro was shaken by a wave of kidnappings. Security forces call controversial agents to help save the city from thugs and also from the police itself.

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