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A serial killer is stalking victims in the famous Amsterdam canals. Can a young detective save the city from being Amsterdamned?

The films opens with a very convincing stalking scene with an unknown assailant swimming around the canals. The monster claims their first victim, a prostitute who is walking the dark, desolate streets late one night. She is brutally stabbed and then strung up in the canals for a tour group to find the next morning while their boat rides through. We meet a police detective named Visser who is assigned to the case

Visser investigates a local scuba diving facility where he meets a beautiful woman named Laura. They spark a relationship immediately. Meanwhile, the serial killer claims a few more victims along the way. Most are stabbed and dragged into the canal to die. Visser begins to feel the pressure from the police commissioner and mayor as they are terrified what these murders will do for the public image and tourism in Amsterdam. Will Visser stop the psychopath?

I really like Amsterdamned a lot as a late 80's slasher for many reasons. One, the filming locations. I found the canals and dark alleys/streets surrounding it to be an eerily perfect place for the killer to stalk their victims. Another is that the POV stalking scenes of the killer are top notch. They are done in such a creepy way, Dick Maas deserves a lot of credit for the work on them. They create a lot of on the edge of your seat tension and terror. Also, this movie looks REALLY good for being done in 1988 in terms of picture quality. The one major negative for me was killer reveal and the ending. It all just felt a bit rushed.

I highly recommend Amsterdamned to any horror fan. It is a slick and high quality late 80's slasher flick with amazing stalking POV scenes and some gore as well. The ending is a bit of a mess for me, but the acting and scares makes this a must see.

8/10

"Amsterdamned" is probably the only real Dutch action movie ever made. As such, it's also the best Dutch action movie ever made. When compared to standard Hollywood action movies, Amsterdamned falls somewhere in the middle: it's not a masterpiece, but it's not terrible either.

The acting is usually terrible in Dutch movies, and this movie is no different. Monique v.d. Ven and Huub Stapel are fine, but the supporting cast is filled with a bunch of over-acting amateurs. Sound quality is poor too: I am from Holland and I often have trouble understanding what the people are saying. But the action sequences (and there are a lot of those) are surprisingly well done for Dutch standards. And fortunately, the movie doesn't take itself too seriously.

All in all the action and humour make up for the occasionally terrible acting and somewhat flawed plot.

**/2 out of **** stars

I saw this for the first time recently due to the director (I have enjoyed Dick Maas' The Lift and Prooi) and also got enticed into checking this movie due to some good reviews.

It is indeed a solid action thriller but the ending is kinda rushed n there is no mystery/suspense element to it.

It has a good car sequence doing a full 180, an amazing boat chase sequence reminding us of Bond's Live and Let Die.

While viewing this, Shape of Water came to my mind, especially during the tunnel scenes.

Veerman and Eric rush to Dr Martin's house when the nurse informs Eric about Laura's missed call. How they deduced that Laura will be at Martin's house is beyond me.

Martin's doors were all open. Now who keeps their doors open man. At least not here in my beloved country India.

Our lead guy (Eric) gets his face spit upon by a suspect and without washing his face he consumes coffee n then later has sex with Laura (a lousy one though). Hope he washed his face before kissing her.

Being that I was born in Sevilla of Spanish heritage, studied in Moscow, currently reside in England and speak Russian/Polish/Spanish and English fluently, you could say that I am somewhat culturally blessed. But when I'm not at home in Spain, you can usually find me enjoying the company and astonishing beauty of Polish women in Krakow or relaxing somewhere in the Netherlands. I love everything about Amsterdam. From its rich and tranquil canal based landscapes to its friendly and welcoming inhabitants, (that's not mentioning its wealth of world class soccer stars) you truly haven't lived until you've been there. That's why I was infinitely excited when I learnt that Holland had created its own addition to my favourite cinema sub-genre – a Dutch slasher movie! You read it right; Amsterdamned manages to mix the B-movie bliss of a masked psychopath with the cultural trademarks of my summer break paradise. And the best thing about it is that it's actually an amster-damned good movie (Apologies for the pun)…

It opens with a cool credit sequence that mixes some brilliant underwater photography with an eerie horror soundtrack that was provided by director Dick Maas. The shot pans along the riverbanks as a yet unidentified predator stalks its prey. It's almost like Jaws in a canal, as we watch the camera emerge from the murky depths, scan the area and then move on to another location. Next we cut to a prostitute flagging down a taxi later that same night. After an amusing bust up with the randy driver, the hooker is left walking the back streets to find her way home. Before she even has a chance to begin her journey, a dark figure raises out of the canal and repeatedly stabs her with a large blade. The killer, leaving a streaming trail of blood behind him, then drags her corpse into the river and disappears into a mass of bubbles. The following morning, the woman is discovered hanging upside down from a bridge and dripping with blood by a boat that's filled with tourists. That scene launches a terrific flair for subtle pitch black humour from the director, which continues throughout the movie.

Next up we meet Detective Eric Visser (Huub Stapel); a hard-boiled Dirty Harry-alike who is immediately put on the case of the bizarre killings. After a vital clue is found at the scene of the second slaughter, the Police seem convinced that the maniac is a diver and begin checking out all the local clubs and stores. Whilst following that lead, Eric meets Laura (Monique Van de Ven), a beautiful artist who is keen to help him crack the case. Meanwhile the body count is rising and the town mayor wants this killer caught. Can Visser track down this maniacal madman? Or will the killer find him first…?

Amsterdamned is probably one of the best slasher movies to be released towards the end of the eighties. Boasting a superb script ("What does she mean a big black monster with huge claws?" "I don't know but your mother-in-law better have a good alibi!"), some stunning photography, a great cast of characters and an extremely talented director; this is truly a great advertisement for Dutch cinema. It's not really a teen-slasher in the hackneyed Friday the 13th mould. Instead it's best described as a slasher/murder-mystery/thriller, which makes the most of being part of each category. The first thing I noticed was that Amsterdamned was extremely well financed even compared to its American brethrens. How many hack and slash flicks have you seen that have included a town-wide motorcycle chase AND a colossal boat pursuit in the same feature? Dick Maas did an extremely good job of making his movie stand out from the mediocrity that had engulfed the cycle this late into its rein.

Even though it is not famed for it's extreme gore, there's enough gooey corpses floating about (literally) to keep the bloodhounds interested. It's also competently written, which means that you won't have worked out the psychopath's identity when he is unmasked at the conclusion. The body count is fairly high and most of the murders are carried out creatively, whilst trying to pack in as much suspense and intrigue as possible. My favourite would have to be the underwater battle between the killer and an unsuspecting Police diver. The whole scene is filmed aboard a submerged boat and the claustrophobic tension is superbly executed. Unfortunately, Amsterdamned was yet another victim of poor dubbing for international broadcast, which means that the voice-overs sound like a consignment of English speaking foreigners from everywhere else BUT Holland! It's impossible for me to rate the cast's performances because I own the dubbed version, but I've heard that they're pretty poor from the supporting actors anyway.

This is wholly recommended to slasher fans across the globe. It's extremely well financed, boasts some snappy dialogue, superb direction, a cool killer costume and even a enjoyably cheesy theme tune; how can you argue with that. The boat chase alone is worth the budget purchase price. I'll be keeping a close eye on the Dutch movie-market to see if they bless the slasher genre once more with such credible output. Make sure you give this one a go

Now I can't believe that this little gem has passed me by for so long, especially being a big fan of slashers and giallo movies, well this was a nice treat and it's appealing enough and just when you thought you've seen everything that this genre has to offer, "Amsterdamned" puts a unique spin on things by featuring a killer dressed in scuba diving gear swimming around the canals of Amsterdam looking for his next victim.

It's all well paced, being mainstream enough for thriller fans and yet gruesome e and sleazy enough for horror fans. That is also dozens of red herrings that keeps the viewer interested enough to keep watching up until the final reveal which okay can be a bit of a cop out, but the dozens of stunts that were handled very well, and when the killer pops out of the water to claim its next victim, it is genially scary and given the fact that he can do this and escape easily into the canals does add a sense of danger to the proceedings and makes everything a lot more tense and frightening.

The main central character Vissor played brilliantly by Huub Stabel who's trying to solve this case before the killer strikes again and also has the best scene in the movie with the speed boat chase, which was exciting and thrilling at the same time, and will always be an iconic memorable scene. This movie also uses the beautiful city of Amsterdam to its full effect showing all the beautiful sights and scenery. Another standout performance was Serge-Henri Valcke who clearly steals the show with his funny comedic elements, which adds a touch of greatness to this movie.

All in all "Amsterdamned" is a great watch and is a definite highlight in the giallo genre and has a great mix of everything and plus a really cool killer.

One of the most popular movies from the Nederlands made by one of the most popular directors from the Low Lands. A thriller about a serial killer who finds his victims in the canals of Amsterdam City and the cop who's trying to catch him. Original, ain't it?

OK, it's not Truffaut, it's not Hawks or Von Trier, the dialogs are such a mess, and the situations are hackneyed to the nausea but, what can I say? I like this movie! I watched it first when I was 9 or 10 and it has kind of a nostalgical meaning from me. Anyway, you may have a nice pop-corn bag and a bottle of Coke, embrace your girl and turn the lights off.

The best of it all: the very spectacular boat-chasing all around the canals of Amsterdam.

*My rate: 5/10

Dutch director Dick Maas clearly has a flair for entertainment. This serial killer film is lifted above the norm by a series of fantastic sequences; from creepy murder scenes to a hilariously over the top speed boat chase through the canals of Amsterdam, Amsterdamned is a delight to watch from start to finish. It goes without saying that this film takes place in Amsterdam, and it would appear that the film is something of a love letter to the great Dutch city. Amsterdam's streets make for an excellent horror location, while the canal shots are what really give the film its originality. Maas also gives us sequences in which the reputation of the city is discussed. Personally, I love the location shots of this film; having visited Amsterdam a couple of times myself, it's nice to recognise where the film is taking place. The plot is basically your run of the mill serial killer yarn, but it's lifted above the norm because of the fact that the murderer himself is water-based. Amsterdam's canals make for his home, as the murderous diver drags anyone who comes too close to the river to their doom. We follow the trail of murders and the police investigation into the crimes.

The film runs at around 105 minutes; a running time that would usually lead to me saying is too long for this sort of film. However, despite the fact that the film plays from what is a very basic plot, it never becomes boring. Dick Maas bombards the audience with stunning location shots, deliriously entertaining sequences and some very sinister moments of horror to ensure that Amsterdamned never becomes trite or dull - and besides, every time there's a danger of the film going downhill, our competent director is on hand with another grisly murder sequence! For a film that runs so freely, it's surprising that it's actually not all that messy. Maas blends several different styles together, but the plot always stays on course. The atmosphere is always foreboding as it is made clear that the murderer could strike at any time. I've got to say that I was a little disappointed by the end, however. After a brilliant 100 minutes, Maas sees fit to tack on an ending that feels very trite and overly used. However, the build up to this let down is fantastic and by the time it comes to the ending, it doesn't really matter how it ends because you've just witnessed what is one of the finest films ever to come out of the Netherlands. Personally, I loved every minute of this great film and really can't recommend it highly enough!

I'm not used to hearing Dutch so that was a bit different. The plot moves along well and the ensemble acting is well done/ I liked seeing all the different places in Amsterdam. Since it has become a place of pilgrimage for people into drugs and prostitution in recent years you generally don't see or hear much about the place at all up to and including movies from there. This film was a rarity in that sense that it captures the city before it 'went to the dogs' is how most people would put it. Several unexpected twists keep you hanging and keep you interested. More for people who can appreciate a good yearn rather than your typical action movie fan, since its not really an action movie. Good cinematography helps the project work well as a whole. Worth seeing.

Like I say in my comments on "De Lift", this is particularly funny for Dutch-aholics. A lot of the scenes are references to Dutch famous people, or will later become references to those.

The Bond-like chase through the canals of "Amsterdam", is one of the most famous scenes, and is up to Hollywood standard. Huub Stapel is again the best choice for the leading character "Eric Visser", charming, tenacious, and this time single. The comic relieves are numerous in this movie, but the best to me are the scenes where Stapel's daughter Anneke and her friend Willy try to find the killer through telepathy. And luckily Dick Maas doesn't resort to an old Hollywood trick, and let them solve the whole thing.

Unfortunately, the whole industry in Europe is only interested in making "interesting, and challenging" movies. Movie making in Europe should be about the art, not about the money, according to the critics. The result, however, is that most movies from Europe are either depressing to the point of throwing yourself from a tall building, or completely incomprehensible, or just boring. There are a few great exceptions to the rule, and this is certainly one of them.

For those who saw it in 1988 in a theater, and happened to be in a theater that (as is usual in Holland) puts in a break half way through the movie, so they can scam you out of your money selling over priced drinks (okay different story), you might remember one of the best finishing touches to a movie ever seen: the hand that shoots out of the water, holding a strawberry ice cream cone! That actually had me about 5 inches of my seat.

Amsterdamned is written and directed by Dick Maas (also providing the musical score). It stars Huub Stapel, Monique van de Ven, Serge-Henri Valcke, Hidde Maas, Wim Zomer and Tanneke Hartzuiker. Cinematography is by Marc Felperlaan.

Hard-boiled police detective Eric Visser (Stapel) sets out to capture a gruesome serial killer who is terrorizing the canals of Amsterdam - apparently from the water itself...

If you was to list the genres this film homages you could be here for some time, while any attempt to pigeon hole it as one specific genre piece is pure folly. The strength in Mass' movie is that it successfully blends a number of filmic strands to great effect, even serving up some deliciously humorous dialogue in amongst the suspense and murderous shenanigans.

Working off from a unique standpoint of having a serial killer operating from beneath the waters of Amsterdam's canal system, this gives the pic its own identity. Sure some of the sequences have been tried and tested elsewhere - notably a superb homage to "A Nightmare On Elm Street" - but Maas stitches it together with a thrilling panache that's aided by Felperlaan's atmospherically piercing colour lenses.

The characters are neatly etched in a matter of fact way, giving them an earthy and vulnerable realism that's refreshing. While some scenes are suspenseful/frightening because it's left purely to suggestion over blood inducing show and tell. It's a bold choice from Mass not to go overtly Giallo Slasher on his audience, but by choosing to tantalise in the name of keeping the mystery aspect alive proves to be a good decision.

There's some truly great scenes to hold attention here. A bloody victim's body literally paraded aboard a sightseeing tourist boat, an extended speedboat pursuit that's fit for a Bond film, and Visser's trawling through Amsterdam's murky underground waterway tunnels is quality horror staging. There's proof positive here that the director knows his genre tropes.

Acting is a mixed bag, but there's no faulting Stapel as our main man. He instils Detective Visser with a steely film noir resolve that's most engaging, even as ikt happens looking into the bargain like a future Vincent Cassell. As the main female draw card, Monique van de Ven is sensual without being overt, and she makes a smart accompaniment to Stapel's more rugged edges.

Sadly the finale is something of a let down, not so much in the reveal, but in the quickness of it all, it feels rushed and ill thought out, especially given the pic runs at just shy of 2 hours in length. There's also the issue of the heavy synth score, which while a staple of many an 80s production, was even by 1988 feeling very old hat. Personally I kept drifting off into Harold Faltermeyer 's score for "The Running Man", only this was the one note version.

Small complaints, though, for this is a very smart and well thought out Dutch thriller. 7.5/10

I was skeptical about this film because it seemed cheesy that a frogman would be occupying the canals of Amsterdam terrorizing residents.

But it works! The story is presented believable, and while there appears to be language dubbing, the plot does not suffer.

The film features beautiful shots of Amsterdam, and has an exciting boat chase scene that is reminiscent of the boat pursuit in the James Bond film, "Live and Let Die"!

The local characters are great, and while the film takes liberties with the Dutch criminal Justice system (it seems like its more for American audiences), its still fun to watch this detective and his crew investigate.

It's not perfect, but its a very enjoyable film!

Amsterdamned - the title alone is a big number. And the promise is kept. I know Holland wasn't and probably still isn't exactly top of the cinema league, but this gem is one of the great cop-hunting serial killer outputs of its time and still is today. One thing's for sure, though: you need a lot of retro love and a bit of grubby affinity. Just for an Italo-style rip-off, which also keeps a firm eye across the pond, only in this respect much more original than the one from Southern Europe. No frills, brutal slasher killer vs. Tough macho cop, focus on thrills and action. Probably the most important essence, however, is the location: an Amsterdam that certainly no longer exists today, a Reeperbahn on a grand scale. All in all, a fine piece of European genre cinema, which was still the norm at the time.

The movie tries too hard to be like other movies. Jaws for one. The ending is a bit anti-climactic. There is nothing too unique or special about the movie.

That being said, it's still one entertaining flick. And I was told in the r/shudder Reddit while watching it on Joe Bob Brigg's Last Drive-In feature, that it contains one of the best chase sequences in movie history, and it does not disappoint. It's quite a wild ride. It has other great features too, fun plot developments, decent scares, it lacks a bit but it makes it up in other departments.

Joe Bob says "check it out," I advise you do the same. Worth at least one watch.

This movie combines most of the not-so-good parts of Dutch movies in general: poor camera, awful sound, and *poor* dialogues.

In addition to those, this film also has a storyline which is easily forgotten and a strange, out-of-the-blue-ending. Note: most of the shots in the canals ("grachten") was done in Utrecht, not Amsterdam.

This is a typical movie from a Dutch guy in the eighties. It may not be as exciting as Lethal weapon in the same years, but we just didn't have the technology and money for that sort of movies here in Holland:P Anyway, i do agree with the statement that this is a good movie. The scenery is indeed good, and the acting is really OK. The fact that Huub Stapel (Eric Visser in the movie) is a bit arrogant is because the director likes this kind of roles in his movie. Just like movies he made before Amsterdamned, such as Flodders, the head character is arrogant, a bit lazy, and tries to be tough. But once you get used to that you can see how funny it actually is.

Anyway, i'd say try the movie!

Apart from the stupid title this is an exciting horror movie. The plot is somewhat bizarre though, but that's part of the excitement. Highly recommended for horror fans. This is one scary movie. The title is just so hilarious. I couldn't believe it. I saw this in the Netherlands when I was there playing chess in the 1990s. I guess it is interesting to see some horror movies which are not American. This is a very European film. To be honest, I cannot remember it very well, but there were some nice scenes in the canal. It seems like a good detective story as well as a nice horror movie. I seem to remember that the search for the strange killer is one of the most interesting aspects of the movie.

Why are continental films so damn poor. Don't they have film schools there? Amsterdamned is just another example of this. Please quit now before it gets out of hand, you've already inflicted Paul Verhoeven on us - enough is enough.