Moving and stirring WWII film about a Dutch resistance fighter plenty of twists and turns

Rating: 7/10 (3 June 2009)

This is a spectacularly chronicle and true-story of a young woman's heroic fight against the Germans and about the liberation of Holland from Nazi occupation. The film begins in a kibbutz, Israel 1956, where is working as professor a Jew named Rachel(Carice Van Houten). There finds an old friend(Halina Reign) and brings backs records about her experiences in 1944 Holland, after Nazi takeover. The live of a Dutch Jewish woman is forever changed by the WWII invasion of Holland by the Nazis. Then is developed an overlong flashbacks dealing upon Rachel, a twenty-and-some years old who has her parents disappeared in occupied Netherlands.Rachel has problems when her hiding shelter is bombed by Allied planes. After learning that his family has been shot down by a ship commanded by brutal official(Waldemar Kobus), she joins the Resistance group(Thom Hoffman, Derek De Lint, among them) formed by Jews who are smuggling weapons. The bunch of dissidents put their lives in danger by risked missions. When persecution of the Jews intensifies and are detained some fighters , she risks infiltrating SS headquarters in order to save lives but Rachel falls for Nazi captain named Ludwig(Sebastian Koch). The events get worse because a traitorous is informing to Nazis.
This exciting, cerebral WWII picture is plenty of suspense, thrills, action and is pretty entertaining. Compelling War-drama about the underground movement in Holland during Nazi downfall . The argument is full of plot twist and tension , the developing is kept everything moving fast and frantic to a climax guaranteed to make hearts pound. The picture earns high marks for the superb performances by excellent casting , from prestigious German-Netherlands actors, such as Carice Van Houten as valiant fighter who enlists in the Resistance effort, Sebastian Koch(Stauffenberg, Amen) , Derek De Lint as leader of underground movement , Waldemar as cruel officer Nazi, Christan Berkel (Valkyrie) as General Kautner among others. Excellent camera work and evocative cinematography by Karl Walter Leindenlaub. Suspenseful and evocative musical score by Anne Dudley. Film is carefully made by Paul Verhoeven , direction is alternately gripping and touching drama. He previously directed ¨Soldiers of Orange¨ ,also based on the true-life exploits of a Dutch resistance leader played by Rutger Hauer. Rating : Notable, better than average and well worth watching in spite of contains lots of violence and nudism.