Des soldats et des ombres

The movie starts off great. Not many historical flaws and a very balanced execution between the different perspectives. Sadly, the second part of the movie takes a Tarantino-esq turn in tone and story (like Inglorious Basterds) and this almost ruined the movie for me. Either commit to one style or the other. Furthermore, the second half is extremele unbalanced and depict the Dutch Special Forces troops as coldblooded murders basically the whole time. If you look at the actual historical facts about Westerling, you'd see that alot of nuance is left off the table. The ending is also very strange and basically pure fiction. This wouldn't be a bad thing because Tarantino did this with Inglorious Basterds aswell and that worked out great. However, Tarantino maintained his tone and story throughout the whole movie. This movie does not. Which makes it feel very disjointed.

Speaking of acting, visuals, story and music: The acting is great (for Dutch standards) and the visuals and music are also very good. The story is very well done (for the first half) but then descends into fiction for a big part. Without spoiling it, yes there were alot of war crimes being committed at that time and place, but a whole lot of other stuff was left out. The second half felt like a montage of war crimes by the Dutch special forces without any actual story being told.

All in all, the movie is still good. The first half especially is very much worth the watch. I would still recommend it, just be warned about historical inaccuracies and lack of nuance.

Most reviews are exemplary for society today: people choosing position at extreme ends based on the subject with no space for nuance or really talking about the actual matter at hand. Very high marks, or very low. Yes, it's an important subject, but the movie isn't good or bad because the subject is important.

The visuals are good and above par for Dutch movies. The narrative transcends Dutch standards of treating it's educated audience like children with baroque and derivative clichés in storytelling (i.e. Lobotomized Love Actually clones etc.). It's just that the movie is too long, or perhaps should have been longer but not as a movie but as a series, which would have allowed for different dynamics to have been explored more in depth. There are a lot of interesting things there to dig into, but due to the film format and limited time that means it can a little too feel superficial. That sense of superficiality to certain elements (or rather the desire to dig deeper) combined with the long length feel at odds with each other. The movie also seems not to be able to make up it's mind to be either a social commentary or war movie, which gives a sense of falling just shy of the mark in both categories. Still a valiant effort with strong casting, acting, directing and art direction and in any case important to raise a difficult subject of relatively recent history. Other than most reviews, the film can be commended for choosing nuance and showing there can be well intended albeit misguided reasoning (rooting out perceived evil) behind atrocious acts, and by doing so manages to steer clear of cheap morality.

Today watched this controversial movie. The story line is good and the movie contains all subjects of a good war movie. That the movie is by some not considered fully accurate is correct. However if I have to give this movie a rating it is definitly one of the best Dutch movies released in recent years and shows what war can do with mans mind.

Based on the stories my father told me is this mostly based on reality. It was an awful time he had for four years. As an MP he followed this man closely and saw the story unfold. It took him 40 years to tell this to me what happened. Thanks Jim and all the actors.

Going into this movie fully aware of all the drama surrounding it. My tip is don't go into it expecting historical accuracy. We didn't expect accuracy for apocalypse now or 1917. It's a setting for a war movie. And a anti war piece just like the previously named films

That being said, as far as a war movie its okay. Its mostly the usual story of the innocent fng that seems more pure then his compatriots from day one. His degradation as he gets hit with the horrors of war taken to the conclusion of the story.

The sets are beautiful as it is all shot on location and the kit and gear are all amazing. The actors are mostly good, the Turk being a pretty decent Kurtz rip-off. Mostly i am happy, this is a Dutch film made about a subject most people could learn more about, with great production value and some nice use of lights and camera work. The last act is definitely the weakest, but the beginning. Is pretty decent.

I would say: Watch with managed expectations.