Young, Violent, Dangerous

Silly '50s style juvenile delinquent flick with a '70s Eurotrashy touch. Three teenaged punks kidnap a rich girl and force her to accompany them as they terrorize the streets of Milan. Fun car chases in dumpy Euro-subcompacts and a surprise ending add to the fun.

In the days before those innocent acts of trolling each other on Facebook and revenge porning each other, the youth of yesterday were content simply to drive around Milan acting like jerks, robbing banks, and shooting innocent people in the face. This is their story.

Three young guys - Blondie, Hunky and the annoying Joe, plan to rob a petrol station in Milan, but they don't know that Hunky's girlfriend has gone to the police and tipped them off. She does make the mistake of telling cop Tomas Milian that they have toy guns though, toys that turn out to be real as several cops and a petrol station owner are gunned down. Now Blondie and the rest are on the run, but instead of keeping their heads low they hit banks, recruit others to rob supermarket, then kill said others with hot lead.

Milian can't figure out why some rich boys would go on such a crime spree, but at least he takes time out to blame the parents for their lack of attention to their kids. To be honest that's the only time he shows any emotion here as Milian doesn't have much to do besides try and track down the trio as they kill everyone they meet, and get Hunky's girlfriend caught up in it too. Milian really just looks concerned, smokes, and becomes increasingly dishevelled.

We spend a lot more time with the youngsters instead. Hunky never kills anyone, but goes along with the crime spree and only seems to enjoy things when he's outrunning the police in a car chase. Blondie however is the leader, and although he doesn't show much emotion, he's might have a thing for Hunky (Hunky's girlfriend spots it during the car chase too, plus he doesn't get involved in a gang bang earlier in the film, which someone ruins by farting!). That leaves Joe, the weak link in this film as his character is so annoying. He's the hyperactive 'joker' of the pack, but his jokes are only funny to himself and he laughs at them in a shrill moronic bray (at least in the Italian language version). The only time he calms down is when one of Blondie's mates refers to him as being the village idiot, which results in said mate being machine-gunned in the face.

I'm sure writer Fernando Di Leo is trying to say something here, but I didn't catch it. This is a nihilistic cavalcade of violence, all set to Tomas Milian's jaw clenching. That cheesy song at the start was awful though - maybe that's what made them go nuts?

It took a while to grow on me, but by the time I had finished with Young, Violent, Dangerous, I realized how much I enjoyed the film. I found myself caring about the characters and what would become of them. Young, Violent, Dangerous is the story of three young punks out getting some kicks by knocking over a gas station. Their crimes soon escalate (bank robbery, murder, kidnapping, etc.) to the point where they get the attention of the entire Milan police force. The film is filled with some unexpected violence as the young thugs show just how tough they are and how little they care about human life. Throw in a few decent car chases and you've got a nice little Poliziotteschi. The ending is another unexpected moment with a nice twist.

While Tomas Milian gets top billing, he really does very little other than smoke cigarettes, talk on a police radio, lecture people, and stay about three steps behind the young criminals. Eleonora Giorgi and Stefano Patrizi are the real stars as the kidnap victim and head of the gang respectively in a couple of very nice performances. The low point of the film is the character played by Benjamin Lev, Joe. He's supposed to be the clown of the group (Why do all gangs have one of these guys?) but he comes off as an utterly ridiculous, hyena-laughing moron who I grew to detest more and more as Young, Violent, Dangerous wore on.

Liberi armati pericolosi (1976) or Young, Violent, and Desperate (United States title) turns out to be interesting enough and with plenty of vivid action , suspense and violence . In this violent thriller , three youth men (Stefano Patrizi , Benjamin , Max Delys) embark a criminal spree by killing here and there , while engaging in bank robbery , crossfire , and thrilling car chases . They're pursued by a tough , hard-nosed commissioner (Tomas Milian) who will stop at nothing to detain them , however , failing in his purports , while the whole police force mobilizes throughout highways by means of roadblocks to track down the nasty delinquents carrying out a relentless manhunt. As the punks make a fast stop to pick up a girlfriend (Eleonora Giorgi) and then in high speed towards Switzerland . More blood will be shed and more violence will be executed before this sinister saga ends in an unpredictable final.

A criminal fiction with suspense , intrigue , frantic action , turns , a lot of twisted incidents , at the same time charged with tension and high level staging which the viewer could really enjoy . Formula thriller with plenty of action , crisply edition , tension , intrigue , suspenseful , skin bared and lots of violence in exploitation style . It belongs to Italian Poliziesco sub-genre , including ordinary trappings , being essentially developed in the Seventies , titles like Milano odia: la polizia non può sparare (1974), Free Hand For a Tough Cop (1976) , Brothers Till We Die (1978) , From Corleone to Brooklyn (1979) were the most popular and brutal of his thrillers . Compellingly directed by Romolo Guerrieri , after directing his successful Spaghetti Westerns : 10.000 dollars for a massacre , Johnny Yuma , Seven guns for Timothy ; in the late 1970s , Romolo turned to the police thrillers or polizieschi , which rejuvenated his confidence and his popularity , directing this Liberi armati pericolosi (1976) in which some youngsters carrying out upon a terrifying series of bloody crimes . Stars Tomas Milian giving a nice performance as a two-fisted Inspector , but he isn't the typical Italian cop , the Dirty Harryesque police detective acting as a judge , jury and executioner , but a methodical commissario who even gives advices to malefactors' parents . Unknown main and support cast providing decent , tough exaggerated interpretations , exception for some familar faces as the gorgeous Eleonora Giorgi , Stefano Patrizi and brief appearances from Venantino Venatini , Peter Berling , Tom Felleghy , and a young Diego Abatantuono . Resulting in a fascinating Italian exploitation thriller that is interesting enough , though it has several flaws , shortcomings, gaps and failures . It has some characteristic elements from Poliziesco sub-genre , including exploitation , brief nudism in charge of the beautiful young Eleonora Giorgi , grisly violence, murders in cold blood with special mention for the supermarket slaughter , along with the necessary seasonings as the typical car pursuits with crashes and falls.

The motion picture was professionally directed by Romolo Guerrieri , though with no originality , being pretty predictable and extremely violent . Romolo is a good craftsman who has directed all type of genres such as post-nuke Sci-fi as ¨ The last warrior¨, Italian crime or Poliziottesco as "Young, Violent, Dangerous" , ¨City under siege¨ , "Ring of Death" and western as ¨10.000 Dollari per un massacre¨ , Johnny Yuma¨ and ¨Seven guns for Timothy¨. Rating : 6.5/10 . Passable and acceptable , it will appeal to Poliziottesco enthusiasts.

Young, Violent, Dangerous is a classic example of Italian exploitation cinema. While the film doesn't always prioritize logical plotting or character development, it excels in creating elaborate cinematic set pieces. Director Guerrieri delivers intense shootouts and adrenaline-fueled car chases, even if they don't quite match Hollywood's big-budget productions. The movie also doesn't shy away from skin-baring moments, adding to its gritty appeal.

The standout performances come from Stefano Patrizi, who portrays the conflicted Mario Farra, and Benjamin Lev as the impulsive Giovanni Etrusco. Tomas Milian, in the role of Commissario, adds depth to the cat-and-mouse game between law enforcement and the criminals.

While Young, Violent, Dangerous won't win any awards for its storytelling, it's a thrilling ride for fans of exploitation cinema. The film's raw energy and unapologetic violence keep viewers engaged, even if the plot occasionally veers into absurdity. If you're in the mood for a fast-paced crime thriller with a touch of Italian flair, give this one a watch.

Verdict: With its mix of bloodshed, high-speed escapes, and a dash of romance, Young, Violent, Dangerous is a guilty pleasure for genre enthusiasts. While not a masterpiece, it delivers on its promise of excitement and keeps you guessing until the very end.

Remember, though, that this film isn't for everyone. If you're looking for intricate character development or a tightly woven plot, you might want to explore other options. But if you're up for a wild ride through the criminal underworld, buckle up and hit play!