‘Watch Out, We’re Mad’ (Altrimenti Ci Arrabbiamo) Netflix Movie Review - The Chronicles of Dune Buggy

Watch Out We Are Mad (2022) is the latest Italian release on Netflix, which follows the story of two brothers Carezza and Sorriso, who battle it all out for the possession of the precious ‘Dune Buggy’ they once lost as kids. In a remake of the film that came out in 1974 of the same name, the two brothers must decide the fate of the car, as they reunite after remaining estranged for years.

Unfamiliar with the original classic, I did not have any expectations with the movie. The two brothers had lost the car due to their foolishness as kids, however, years later, they get a chance to set things right when they see the opportunity of winning the classic ‘Dune Buggy’ in a race. Unwilling to compromise on the ownership of the rewards, both Carezza and Sorriso eventually race each other only to find out the past had repeated itself, as both of them draw each other out in the end. But it became more than just a personal matter for them, as the wealthy and influential Torsillo family has other plans for the Buggy.

This bland action comedy solely runs on the uncharacteristic chemistry of the two brothers Carezza and Sorriso, with the only thing that forces them to reunite is retrieving the car. Carezza in particular is resentful of his brother, as he doesn’t trust Sorisso enough with anything after their quarrel. Sorriso, on the hand, is a free-spirited individual with a laid-back approach to life. He is the clown between the two, pulling out scams now and then, but surprisingly enough most of the humor elements are reliant on Carezza’s ‘tough guy act’ as to how seriously he takes each matter. Both are like two sides of the same coin as they balance each other out in this family fiasco. Miriam is another character in the fold, who is associated with both of them, as she and her family are part of the circus, which Torsillo wants to eradicate. She ends up being an unlikely alliance that is part of something bigger than the ‘Dune Buggy’ itself.

The movie is overall disappointing otherwise. Neither the action nor the comedy is effective in the film. I feel like it does a decent job of giving a chaotic appearance to the story, but the reason it is underwhelming is that it is not backed up by the script. The moments are there just for the sake of it, as the experience remains bland enough. The comic appeal also suffers a hit due to the over-reliability of certain actions that might have been amusing to the director, and the writers, but not to the audiences. Despite only being an hour and a half long, it felt to me that there was not enough content to heed off the movie till the end. I didn’t like the final act as well, which just happens in the most typical way possible.

I would strongly suggest skipping this forgetful experience, which doesn’t do justice to its genre.

Final Score – [5.5/10]
Reviewed by - Devyansh Anand
Follow @AnandDevy on Twitter