Italian gangster Renato Vallanzasca’s life, before being sentenced to hundreds of years in prison, may have been full of robberies, brutal slayings, torture, sex and drug use, but it makes for a strangely dull biopic. Established and capable director Michele Placido’s take on his violent and unpredictable life is visually striking, but the narrative just catalogues various horrible events in a rather yawn-inducing way.
Kim Rossi Stuart, who also co-wrote the screenplay, lacks charisma as the infamous criminal. There are some nicely directed moments (there’s one extremely chilling murder scene that genuinely manages to shock), but the film lacks buzz, sharpness and energy.
Angels of Evil, directed by Michele Placido, is available on DVD and Blu-ray from Artificial Eye, certificate 15.
