Rating: C-
Dir: Flávio Carnielli
Star: Amanda Moreira, Amanda Costa, Andre Luís, Antonio Carlos Theko
a.k.a. Fórmula Selvagem
In the history of WTF? entries found on Tubi, this ranks pretty damn high. Maybe only below the delirious insanity which was Plan 9 From Aliexpress. Yeah, we’re talking that level of undiluted bat-shittery. It shares a similar incoherence, and also appears to have been made on a budget of spare change. There’s a lurid, low-fi video approach to the visuals here, which is likely deliberate, evoking eighties television. But it actually occurs at some point in the future, after a war, when Brazil had become the core of a new country called PanAmerica. It’s a dictatorship, run by President Rottenmaker, who very much has adopted a “bread and circuses” approach to his population.
Key to this is the titular event – though shouldn’t it be Formua Savage? It is, very clearly, inspired by Death Race, though borrows some elements from The Hunger Games as well. In particular, competitors are not voluntary participants, they are instead selected at random from the citizenry, and cannot decline. The latest draftee is João Goulart (Luis), who takes part despite the qualms of wife Maria (Moreira). She wants to run off into the hills, but he refuses, saying “I’m not going to live like a hippie, Maria.” It does not go well for him. I think she then takes up with Brazilian Temu Jason Momoa, but they then end up kidnapped by a group led by Barão das Alturas. He wears a top-hat.
You can likely tell, coherence isn’t this film’s strong suit. Indeed, it has the attention span of a sparrow on meth. Consequently, you get to see rapid cuts without cause or favour between commercials for “Golden” Currant Syrup (“comes in two flavors: fresh blood and coagulated blood”), vox populi, and political speeches by both President Rottenmaker and the leader of the resistance. She has the name of Vaca Profana (Costa, probably the best performance), which translates as “Profane cow.” Presumably the opposite of a sacred one. As with everything else, do not expect explanations. There is also an overly caffeinated TV host, Sandrinha, and her pointy boobs that have propellers on the end. Meanwhile, a cheery commentary team, of Lamartine Corso (Theko) and his sidekick, provide a sardonic Greek chorus in the background as the carnage proceeds.
Again, do not expect any discussion of the rules, standings, competitors, or anything else you might expect – y’know, in connection with an actual sporting event. I suspect this all might make more sense to a Brazilian, since it feels like there’s a lot of references to local culture. One review mentioned kids’ fantasy novel series Dítio do Picapau Amarelo (“The Yellow Woodpecker Farm”). Nope, I got nothing. On that basis, I’m loathe to criticize this too harshly. But the few moments of gloopy violence aren’t enough to excuse an approach to narrative, that isn’t so much loose, as bordering on diarrhoea. The satire isn’t exactly subtle either. While I am glad Tubi offers a home for unrepentantly weird shit like this, I must admit, it all becomes rather wearing.