It may have some of the electric energy and vitality of another Brazilian thriller, the acclaimed "City of God," but "Carandiru" actually has a lot more in common with the now-defunct HBO series "Oz."

The film takes place within a penal setting, which makes a bit of a dicey proposition for audiences, especially those outside of its home country of Brazil. Some may automatically dismiss the film because of the subject matter and because the overwhelming majority of characters are drug dealers and other criminals.

But those with open minds may enjoy the movie's intricacies. Though "Carandiru" seems a bit slow, it's actually a "tease" of sorts, leading up to a riveting and pretty horrifying final 45 minutes.

The movie is based at least partly on some true stories told in the book "Carandiru Station," written by a Brazilian physician who treated inmates in Sao Paolo's infamous penal "holding station" (the site of a 1992 massacre).

The criminals imprisoned there are actually awaiting sentencing, though they're still incarcerated. Conditions in Carandiru aren't exactly ideal, as its new volunteer staff doctor (Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos) observes. Still, he does his best to provide the best medical care possible, including performing AIDS blood tests. And he's front and center as tensions between the inmates and administration worsen.

Given that the filmmaker is Hector Babenco, it's no surprise that this movie doesn't flinch away from its subject matter. In fact, "Carandiru" confronts issues of prison rape and sexual relationships, as well as rampant drug use and the burgeoning drug trade, head-on.

One problem is that the main character remains so much of an enigma. We never really know why he's there or why he's got such a vested interest. That's probably because Babenco was trying to give it more of a dispassionate, documentarylike feel. But he's one character who audiences can and should relate to.

"Carandiru" is rated R for strong scenes of violence (stabbings, shooting, brawling and some sexual violence), frequent use of strong sexual profanity, strong drug content (including use of cocaine), crude sexual talk, as well as use of vulgar slang terms, some graphic gore, simulated sex and sexual contact (both gay and straight), glimpses of nude photos and use of racial epithets. Running time: 145 minutes.

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E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com