Coming out of Fantastic Fest this year, one of my biggest surprises was how much I enjoyed a film I had heard very little about called Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within.  The fact that it was a sequel had me weary. Why would I drop in the middle of a story?  But then the buzz picked up, and I heard multiple people recommend it without the pretense of seeing the first film.  Luckily enough, director Jose Padilha‘s political thriller gives you enough of a foothold to not feel lost while also providing a living, breathing world filled with corruption and violence.  So when I had the chance to speak with the director I had to accept. After the break you can read the complete transcript as we talk about the hype surrounding the film now, the disparity between the first film’s ticket sales and the second, the extreme measures they took to protect the film, how he struck a balance between a message and entertainment, and whether Elite Squad 3 is a possibility.