Movie Review: Black Book

Black Book (2007)

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

Synopsis (Rotten Tomatoes): Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven made his name in Hollywood with films such as ROBOCOP, BASIC INSTINCT, and STARSHIP TROOPERS. But Verhoeven got his start in the industry by making films (the acclaimed SPETTERS and SOLDIER OF ORANGE among them) in his native country, and it's to Holland that he returns for BLACK BOOK--his first Dutch film in 20 years. The story is set during the final days of World War II in Holland, and follows a Jewish singer named Rachel Stein (Carice Van Houten). Rachel attempts to avoid the Nazis and remains in quiet hiding until her family is brutally slain, causing her to join up with a resistance movement. On a subsequent undercover mission, Rachel crosses paths with a smitten German general named Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch), with whom Rachel begins a relationship in order to feed vital information back to her colleagues in the resistance. But as the action and bloodshed escalate, Rachel realizes that she has genuine feelings for Muntze, and soon she is in enormous danger. Verhoeven's film is wildly ambitious and takes many intriguing twists and turns during its 145 minutes. BLACK BOOK commanded the largest budget of any film to be produced in Holland, and it shows. Explosions litter the screen, plenty of car chases ensue, and wince-inducing injuries and deaths propel the action. The director isn't afraid to criticize his fellow countrymen and inserts a fascinating subtext about the actions of the resistance fighters, asking some uncomfortable questions about the similarities between their behavior and that of the Nazis. Van Houten lights up the screen throughout and is surely destined for bigger things, and while the tumultuous experiences her character undergoes might push the boundaries of reality at times, Verhoeven has pointed out in interviews that Rachel is a composite character who encompasses the merged experiences of many real people from the era

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Impressions that I Get: Looks like I've decided to leave the States once again to check out "Black Book" from Holland. At first glance this movie looks like a typical Hollywood-esque WW2 escapade filled with explosions, sex, and Nazis. Even Verhoeven's directing credits look slightly sketchy as he has done such "masterpieces" as Starship Troopers and Robocop. However, I can say I was pleasantly suprised at how good the acting is and how well the intricate plot played out. Verhoeven seems to be on a mission to show that the Nazis vs the Dutch Resistance was not a simple good against evil match. Many times the main general of the Gesptapo seems to be more admirable than the vengeful Dutchmen. Each character is delightfully complex, especially Rachel Stein who is played brilliantly by Carice Van Houten. She is on a mission to save more innocent Jews from being murdered after her family was killed in a shooting early in the film. Van Houten is perfect for this role as she is daring, clever, and incredibly sexy as Miss Stein.

The plot twists and turns like a snake, sometimes making the movie feel just a little bit too preposterous. Overall though, I was taken into the terrifying atmosphere of Holland under Nazi rule and the concept that you could trust no one. The problem with many WW2 films is that they collapse under their own attempts at greatness (Pearl Harbor for example). However, Black Book just trys to show the life and miserys of one small group of Dutchmen, Gestapo, and Rachel Stein. This small scope allows for an intimacy to be created between the audience and the band of characters. There are not a million extras, but rather a few crucial characters that are actually worth caring about. This, perhaps, is the key to why Black Book stands out in the genre.

Although Black Book is rather cumbersome in its length (2 hr, 20 min), it still manages to keep the audience paying attention. Sometimes it felt contrived, as if the only reason I was watching was to wait for the next twist to arrive out of the blue. On the most part though, the film feels very natural and goes for a different perspective on the Dutch Resistance. I admire Verhoeven for admiting that his countrymen had their faults during the war, as most directors would prefer to do the cliche Patriotism (cough, a vast majority of American war movies, cough). This sort of daring and ambition seems unexpected from Verhoeven, but he really does a fine job of showing all of the angles of war- AT

Acting (8.5/10) -Van Houten steals the show

Plot- (7.5/10) - Good, but felt contrived at points

Cinematography- (7/10)- Solid, but nothing to write home about

Originality- (8.5/10)- Gotta love the daring Verhoeven has

My Grade: B