A natureza contra ataca

If you had red the book, you do not want to watch this film. It is a huge disappointment in comparing to the detailed description of the book. I doesn't come close to the (much better) storylines and the feeling they want to bring over. Overall bad acting, no emotions noticeable, very very fast told, unbelievable how they made such a good book to such a horrible movie.

Really, just read the book. I cannot even begin to compare it to this film. Bad acting, bad lines, wrong accents, and a thousand things missing in (and different to) the storyline.

The book catches the feelings and circumstances of main character Julia so well, you'll actually start feeling the same way she does and will want to pursue her goal of finding her baby even beyond the very end. The true tragedy and injustice of her situation will still hold you in it's grasp for a long time after finishing the book.

By the by, also there is more attention to the flooding and it's consequences to the people living there.

(Book is called '1953' by Rik Launspach)

I've seen this movie yesterday, also during the Film by the Sea festival in Vlissingen.

I really liked how the movie started, lots of tension building up and the special effects are very well done. If you want to learn more about the 1953 flood though, then this movie might not be the best choice. I was hoping for a more in depth movie about this subject, but the movie focuses more on a personal story that happens during (and partly because of) the flood.

The overall acting was mediocre, and only Sylvia Hoeks as our main character seems to be displaying some genuine emotions. The first thing I noticed was that the actors use almost no local dialect ('Zeeuws'). Even though it's not very realistic and probably done to appeal for a larger (Dutch) audience, I liked the choice.

A real-world tragedy deserves a respectful recounting of events. But this movie opted to reïmagine the dramatic Christmas flood of 1953 in an absurd fictional storyline where the plot and the characters are so shallow you start wondering what the problem is. De Storm fails as a historical film, fails as a drama and fails as a thriller.

The film promotes the dated idea that "a woman needs a man no matter how strong she is". Additionally, it praises idiotic actions of stupidity as "heroic rescue attempts". None of the actors managed to deliver their lines with any level of truth. And I would not have been able to muster the two stars I rated it if the special effects hadn't been this decent.

De Storm, in essence, is an insult to the victims of the flood and a disgrace to Dutch filmmaking. Tedious, disastrously dated and offending.

We had the privilege to see this movie on his World Premiere in Vlissingen. The actual area where this took place.

It was also the start of the "Film by the Sea" film festival and the whole Dutch film world was invited.

It is a beautiful film, well done with special effects which you don't see actually and a gripping story. All the performances are believable and if you like "De Tweeling" and "Bride Fligt" from the same director then you have to see this movie ! After the screening there was a huge party and we met a lot of famous actors from the Netherlands. We had a great night ! So for me this is a 8 out of 10.

Enjoy the movie, we did !

Michel van Dam The Netherlands.