Balas & Bolinhos - O Regresso

If the first movie of the series did a lot with very little this one is exactly the opposite. Although the budget was largely increased, all that was good in the first flick is lost. The story rambles and rambles, simply not going anywhere and humorless scenes last forever. These useless ploys don't advance the plot, don't develop the characters and in sum, do absolutely nothing worthy for the movie except add time to it. It is just tragic to see how the superbly flavored characters of the first movie are destroyed with cliché lines that simply are not funny. All in all, this is a very painful movie to watch and not worth the rental money, let alone a theater admission.

This is a great movie made with only a few euros, it is the biggest success in the history of Portuguese movie, don't just think about the characters and the history, this movie has great sound and image quality, it pictures the life of a very little minority but it pictures it right, there are people that actually do the things that are seen in the movie, the small time pimp, the immigrant, the poor guy that does anything for a couple of meals, a couple of bad guys armed with a small gun and a pocket knife. This movie is all about fun, just watch the movie trailer, if you don't like it just don't watch the movie but if you like it, you won't stop laughing.

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I'll start with a question: How can an unsupported director make more success than a BIG FAT BUDGET MOVIES director? Creativity, creativity and even more creativity.

Luis Ismael made is debut in "Balas e Bolinhos". But "Balas&Bolinhos - O Regresso" made a boost in the Portuguese movie scene. The low budget movie was made with no official support but even this way, got is way to the BIG SCREEN. Making fairly more success than Portuguese movies with Portuguese stars, Balas&Bolinhos - O Regresso, counts with almost no stars at all, but their performance in the movie, makes everybody think that the so called Portuguese actors and stars should learn how to perform from the beginning. Luis Ismael, Jorge Neto, J.D. Duarte and Joao Pires made a fantastic movie full of action, entertainment and tons of laughs with just a few Euros and lots of creativity. Balas&Bolinhos - O Regresso, is also clammed as a Cult movie among teenagers. A third movie would be very welcome and would assure Luis Ismael quality as an actor and director. A trilogy named "Balas&Bolinhos" would free Portugal movie scene from Manoel d'Oliveira Shadow.

For the blind critics of this movie I simply ask, What do you want? Don't criticize the hard work of all involved in this movie. If you think you can do better i suggest that put hands on the work gather all the money and do a movie, and you will earn the respect and I will respect your critics.

This is not a good movie for the intellectual to watch, the humor is not very much worked but doesn't mean that isn't funny. The story is very much like the others. One of the greatest triumph of this movie is make fun in a healthy way of many movies that is directed to (fake) intellectual people, and that same movies have a very high budget comparing to this one and showing to many people what can be done with some much little. The visual of this movie is very good and i'm not saying this because this is a low-budget movie.

To finish my review of this very good Portuguese movie, I hope the evolution of Luis Ismael and J.D. Duarte because their future is certainly wrap on a gold paper.

If you like to laugh, no matter where you are from, you will enjoy this movie! It's a comedy based on basic humor that everyone can understand, and just like another Portuguese movie "Ninja das Caldas", made success and inspired a hole new wave of Portuguese directors that are revolutionizing the Portuguese cinema.

Note that since the golden age of the Portuguese movies (the 50 and 60 decades), this was the first Portuguese movie that manage to completely sold out tickets in Portuguese movies.

Once again, and like on the "Ninja das Caldas" movie, the Portuguese cable TV channel Sic Radical was the engine for this release, and changing on the Portuguese cinema.