Armada

I just finished watching this movie and I was truly amazed how good and powerful this is. It made me to go to Wikipedia and do some reading about Michiel de Ruyter, because the things this man was able to achieve is simply nothing short of spectacular.

It really feels like those big budget Hollywood movies it has huge sea battles, great and really believable acting also the CGI is pretty good. For those who liked the character of Tywin Lannister played by Charles Dance, well you'll find him here as a King Charles II of England.

I can't recommend this movie enough, just go and watch it and you'll be amazed as well. I never give anything 10 out of 10, but this one came very close to it. Let's say 9.7.

Firstly , let me start of by saying i am dutch and therefore my opinion mite be slightly biased.Secondly , although the story is of grand importance to our history and epic of scope, i was worried (mainly by the choice of director, who's previous track record includes a whole lot of terrible sequels to B movies), and the choice of dutch movie producers to almost always (like 95% of the time) go for the safe picture, that being a not too artsy or original film (mostly being comedies, romantic comedies or family films). This film looked like it was going to be another Nova Zembla, the first big scale dutch epic (not counting of course Paul verhoeven en black book, but thats different, cos its verhoeven who is more known as a Hollywood director than of dutch films) that resulted in a total yawn fest. What a terrible waste

But this one turned out to be better than expected. Tho at times the over use of Bay-isms (such as over extended slo mo shots or using the story to support the visuals and action scenes rather than the other way around ,which did make it feel like a second rate pirates of the Caribbean at times) the flow and tone of the movie worked and it was never really boring at over 2 hours. Tho from time to time the story was obviously embellished for dramatic purposes, which resulted in it again looking more like a Disney adventure movie than a true historic epic. But , with overall good performances by the entire cast( and a gorgeous soundtrack) , the movie was quite good/worked well. A pleasant surprise.

Enjoy! Evil fred

As for the technical side, this film is spectacular. The editing, the story, the production value as a whole is worth the time. This is one of the "epic" films that did not get it's due. So well done and a fantastic soundtrack - this is where the we lose Academy worthy people in the mix. This production was phenomenal.

As for the story, I found it a very worthy tale to tell (and surprised nobody attempted it at this level before). Due to the scope of de Ruyter's impact on this time period, the movie did move a bit quickly and (as expected) did not have time to encompass the importance and the intricate detail of the lives involved. So my only ding here is that it felt rushed in the aspects of the personal lives of Michiel and Anna. To give their emotional and political struggles justice, perhaps a mini-series would have been a more appropriate venue. You feel unsatisfied with the depth of their development. You are simply left wanting more from them.

While based on historical "fact", there are many aspects that needed further development. I wanted so much more background and detail on the characters and the political struggle that, again, a sense of rush was left and it left me sad about that.

When such an incredible production crew and and an insanely under- respected director (Roel Reiné) is given this type of budget and consulting, I feel like they were all let down by not being able to explore this topic and these characters further.

Overall, this film was absolutely spectacular! The brutal moments (for those who know) were almost too brutal to fit into the context of the rest of the story's examination. But HOLY MONKEY this film was a great breath of fresh air and and a great view inside the filmmaking from this part of the world.

A+ and huge kudos to all involved. You needed a better platform, but you made incredible value bleed from these limitations.

An emotional and thoughtful ride on a side of history that needs more exploration. Cheers to you all!

If you are a history buff, you'll get a lot out of this. If you are a film buff, you'll get even more. And if you're looking for some of the most under-appreciated talent in both screen and bts, then you've stumbled on a treasure-trove that all filmmakers should seek out.

Disturbingly well done.

I've always fantasized about this naval period. This movie gave me the chance to experience this strange deceptive era in theatrical form.

The young republic, striving to establish and maintain strong trading routes, are flawed by who they thought were their allies all along. Physically and mentally provoked and by three nations at once, it goes to show that a country can indeed establish itself through courage, determination and wit.

Long as the film was, I found it a wonderful experience to watch from start to finish. I didn't expect to see scenes in England, let alone ones containing the mad monarchist King James II. What a mentalist.

Many scenes featuring the Dutch King Willem II and admiral Tromp were simply captivating to the point that I felt I was actually living the moment in that era.

Michiel de Ruyter, has definitely won a place in my heart and I will definitely be watching this one again someday.

a story of courage. or a lesson about politics. portrait of a great hero . or introduction to the essence of Holland national pride. a film who could remind many classic historical frescoes.and who remains seductive for the great beauty of message. because IT has the admirable gift to be the right choice for a large public. not real surprising . only good way for an inspired form of propaganda, adventure and beautiful show.