Exciting to watch , beautifully written and phenomenal acting

Rating: 9/10 (24 April 2014)

I came across this film by chance and made a note to myself to watch it. I'm grateful for that decision because the 'Black Book' is a must-see. It connects with all your emotions; it really digs deep. Most important of all, it takes you on a journey of an exciting story which you do not have to relate to to understand. I have not yet credited the actors or Verhoeven and so I must applaud their efforts. The story is fantastic but it was the actors that really brought it to life and the strongest performance for me was from Carice van Houten. I have researched how long Verhoeven worked on this film for-over 15 years! It definitely showed and his film was gripping from the opening scene. I do like (not love) war films, but you do not have to like war films to enjoy this. This has a slightly different focus that I believe to be more to do with human values. I would recommend this film especially to anyone that loves action, drama and history: you'll be in for a treat.