‘The Secret Agent’ Resonates Far Beyond Its Borders

In 1948, Puerto Rico’s then United States-appointed governor, Luis Muñoz Marín, enacted the Gag Law (Law 53). For nine years, it was utilized to put down the increasing push for Puerto Rican independence. For nine years, possessing and exhibiting a Puerto Rican flag, singing the patriotic anthem, discussing or writing about independence, or gathering with others or holding meetings to advocate for Puerto Rico’s independence were all illegal. Its effects continue to be felt to this day. When watching The Secret Agent (O Agente Secreto), the lived experiences of Latin American and Caribbean political oppression and suppression quickly came to mind. Within the specificity of Brazil’s conflict, The Secret Agent creates an outstanding cinematic stance on bravery and justice that resonates far beyond its borders.

It’s impossible not to fall head over heels for this feature film upon first watch. Fresh off its early-morning screening at the 2025 New York Film Festival, there was a lot to take in. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho returned with a slow-burning historical political thriller bathed in Brazilian flair. Following its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, the jury awarded Filho with the Best Director prize and the film’s star, Wagner Moura, with Best Actor. Set in 1977, Marcelo (Moura), a former technology professor turned researcher, flees to Recife during Carnival season for his own safety as two hitmen are hired to take him out.

Something is inspiring about the way Mendonça Filho handles the subject of the film and effortlessly set-dresses modern-day Brazil into a time jump back to the 70s. Accompanied by detailed images and photography of the country, it showcases a mirror between past and present. Spirited sequel to his previous 2023 documentary, Pictures of Ghosts, The Secret Agent expands upon it. The film is divided into three parts: the Boy’s Nightmare, the Identification Institute, and the Blood Transfusion. Each one is equally valuable, showcasing different depictions of brotherhood, fatherhood, and masculinity. It also features multifaceted performances from Moura as he takes on his present character, his past, and then plays an older version of his son in the future. The pacing may be hit or miss for some viewers. Yet, it’s admirable the way in which it values every second used to express its thematic. Reminiscent of a Greek epic, it unravels slowly, the plot unfurling as it goes, much like a feline in a spot of sun.

In a time of great mischief, a lot of it is brought upon the cast of players due to poor faith and ill-intentioned motivations manipulated by political corruption. There’s a lightness contrasting with the perilous in the feature film. Similar to Pictures of Ghosts, Mendonça Filho shares his love for cinema. There’s a celebration of theater in its physical splendor through the cinema house, Cinema São Luiz. But, throughout the film, there are also different references, either direct or inferred, to some of the greatest examples of film history. There’s Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, while there’s also Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. It’s a celebration of the cyclical nature of the creative turnstile of the industry.

The best part, beyond its evident love for the medium it’s told through, is its impressive cast. There’s sadness, apprehension, and consternation amongst the group that forms those under the protection of Doña Sebastiana (Tânia Maria). Still, the cast expertly balances the good with the bad. Wagner Moura remains the clear standout, having earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination in the Best Actor category for his performance. The global star grounds his methodology through a subtle tribute to an archetype that’s prevalent throughout cultures. While the end of his story isn’t favorable, the journey proves to be impactful. It echoes far past the film’s runtime, lingering in the mind through reflection. The best example of this is the subplot of researchers digging up tapes to follow what transpired in Recife while Marcelo/Armando was in a witness protection program of sorts.

As a Puerto Rican journalist writing about such a film, it isn’t lost upon reflection that The Secret Agent threads into its cinematographic tapestry the struggle that many Latin American and Caribbean countries have faced in their brutal history–and continue to face to this day. Well spoken in the film, no matter what governments may try to do to suppress movements and the voice of the people, through the passing of stories and memory, they can prevail over erasure. When we think of someone, it’s like having them here with us.