Hai mai avuto paura? - Have you ever been afraid?

Perhaps a missed opportunity to finally create a great Italian folk horror film, but it can still be a start and a sign that something is moving in the realm of genre cinema in Italy. Unfortunately, the film suffers from a somewhat ridiculous script and acting that isn't up to certain standards (in my opinion, only the character of the Gypsy and the count-father stand out). However, the build-up to the climax leading to the final plot twist is effective, and I appreciated that, given the limited budget, they chose to focus more on the terror of the 'unseen' rather than showcasing poor amateur special effects. The cinematography is beautiful, though the set design could have been studied a bit better; after all, the peninsula is full of palaces, villages, and countryside that could have been more effectively utilized.

Undeniably, Have You Ever Been Scared?, which marks Ambra Principato's directorial debut, is a splendidly crafted film, which believes that cinema is made by actors, costumes and sets. It is a film that crosses the surface of horror, trying to stage the obsessions and anxieties of a script ready to explode. Well, in some ways, Have You Ever Been Scared? Is a film about writing, rather than substance. A respectable key, as the sense of anguish is evident, despite the emotional involvement being relative. On the other hand, the language chosen by Principato, whose meticulous passion in designing the context we cannot fail to applaud, slowly grows towards the final epilogue, freeing that fear that we want to speak out, analyzing what is "the most ancient form of emotion".

This is not a real review, it should be understood more as a collection of impressions on the film.

I don't know how the writing of this story went but merging Leopardi as a child with a story of similar werewolves I don't know what a great idea it was, yes certainly a rather original idea because even just imagining it is truly imaginative and therefore it certainly takes talent but that doesn't mean the stuff works. That is, if it had been a normal horror film without historical characters it would have been enough but the addition of Italian poets makes you smile but nothing more and actually ruins the purpose of the film a bit.