meijermax-11215

Instead of the usual tough guy hero, this movie depicts a strong and tall but introverted, sensitive, spiritual and socially akward guy who is morally conflicted about his desire for revenge and yet manages to rally many people behind him, simply because of a common feeling that their values should not be infringed upon.

One scene that stands out as particularly unique is the one where Grutte Pier tries to rally his people. He is not a good speaker and does not suddenly develop this skill. His audience consists of people who are also not good public speakers. After his awkard attempt at rallying the people, there is a silence that lasts for a long time. In other cultures / settings, such a silence would mean the rejection of this leader. However, in this setting, with just farmers that are also extremely introverted, it turns out that the audience itself was just as shy as him and it just took them a long time to speak out their support. They accept him as their leader, not because of his 'charisma' but because he is just as, if not more, down-to-earth as them. These and other 'goofy' interactions in the movie demonstrate that 'goofy' interactions do not need to be 'cringe'.

The story seems to be about an introverted culture, that does not put a lot of value on extraversion, a type of culture which is generally underrepresented in movies and tv series. The story can be interpreted as a case for sustainable business practices where the 'Hollanders' are only driven by a desire for money and power but the humble hierarchy-free local Frysians will not accept such invasions of their territory and are willing to fight for their freedom.

In my opinion, the movie is worth watching just for its unique take on this type of story. It hooked me from start to finish and every part of the story seemed clear to me.