Public Disorder – Series Review | Netflix

PUBLIC DISORDER on Netflix is an Italian thriller series (org. title: A.C.A.B. La serie). We follow a riot squad on the job and in their troubled personal lives. Intense and powerful storytelling over six episodes. Read our Public Disorder series review here!

PUBLIC DISORDER is a new Netflix thriller series from Italy (org. title: ACAB: La serie) based on the novel ACAB by Carlo Bonini. The series has six episodes, each offering insight into the lives of riot squad officers. Both on the job and in their personal lives.

The opening scene shows that this won’t be a pretty or one-sided look at anything. We see both police officers and civilians act in ways they shouldn’t, and we also witness how this results in serious injuries on both sides. In other words; There are no winners in this battle.

Continue reading our Public Disorder series review below. Find all six episodes on Netflix from January 15, 2025.

Much more than a job

In Public Disorder, we’re introduced to a riot squad as they’re standing by waiting to engage. It’s been ten hours of waiting until they’re finally asked to step in.

As they head to the frontline, opposing a very angry and large group of protesters, they pass “ACAB,” which is written in red spray paint on a white tunnel wall.

This sets the stage for a “them against us” situation, which clearly reflects the attitude on both sides. The riot squad is there to do a job, but the protestors treat them as individual traitors—and the feeling is very mutual.

On this night in Val di Susa, things evolve in extreme ways. The team we’re following is from the Mobile Unit of Rome. Their chief is seriously injured early on, and this team isn’t slow to react.

Being from Rome, they’ve learned to contrast all the chaos and trouble with extreme methods. This has become a way of life and turned the team into a family. That’s probably why this night ends in an incident we don’t get to witness, but get a fairly good idea of early on.

We then see them in their personal lives which are not pretty. Virtually every member of the team (one woman, the rest men) is living a sad and small life. As someone notices, it’s like they only really come alive when they’re together.

No one else understands them or recognizes the challenges they’re up against when at work.

What work-life balance?!

The riot squad gets a new commander, Michele, who is part of the reformist police, and actually has a good home life with his wife and kids. Well, not for much longer as he will recognize far too late.

It’s impossible to have a normal work-life balance in this line of work. Despite Michele’s intention of reforming the very brutal riot squad, the chaos of his new squad influences him more than the other way around.

As the events of that one night keep haunting them, the team members must take sides and question whether they’re helping or hurting the situations they’re sent to as part of their job.

I realize that might sound a little “cute and fluffy” but I assure you Public Disorder is a brutal and realistic story. There aren’t many winners in this story.

Why change the title?

I realize the acronym A.C.A.B. [All Cops Are Bastards] is a tainted and controversial one. Especially in the US but also across most of Europe. However, the series is based on a book with this title, and the Italians held on to it despite the words referenced not being Italian.

It appears that all those busy calling everyone else snowflakes and being proudly anti-woke are being catered to with the title change to Public Disorder internationally. However, in that opening scene, the title of ACAB is obvious as literal writing on the wall.

To me, it would make a lot more sense to keep the original and international title as we meet police officers who – before the end of episode one – are taking on the acronym as a sort of badge of honor.

Or the opposite, as it were, and they are essentially saying: If that’s how they see us, then that’s what we’ll be. Anyway, I find it strange that a title so integrated with the series’ story is changed, so I wanted to mention it.

It doesn’t become a statement or opinion because you keep the original title of the work.

Watch the Public Disorder series on Netflix now

As already mentioned, this Netflix series is based on the novel “ACAB” by journalist and writer Carlo Bonini. He also co-wrote the “Suburra” which became a movie in 2015 and a Netflix series that premiered in 2017.

I haven’t mentioned the cast of Public Disorder yet, but the actors in this Netflix series are giving it their all. If you’ve watched some Italian (or Italian-based) productions, you should recognize quite a few of them.

There’s Valentina Bellè from Michael Mann’s Ferrari (2023), Marco Giallini from Perfect Strangers (2016), Aiman Machhour (Yara), and Adriano Giannini (Adagio).

The creator of Public Disorder is Filippo Gravino (Romulus) and the episodes are directed by Michele Alhaique (Bang Bang Baby). If you’re curious about a nuanced, ugly, brutal, and heartbreaking thriller series that feels very realistic, then Public Disorder is a good choice.

Public Disorder is on Netflix from January 15, 2025.

Details

Creator: Filippo Gravino
Director: Michele Alhaique
Cast: Marco Giallini, Adriano Giannini, Valentina Bellè, Pierluigi Gigante, Fabrizio Nardi, Julia Messina, Francesco Buttironi, Aiman Machhour