Bad film, fine actress

Rating: 6/10 (2 January 2009)

I wanted to see this movie, so I was happy when I saw it would be broadcast yesterday. But now I've seen it, I must say that it turned out to be a disappointment. Everyone was thrilled about Mr. Verhoeven's movie with Carice van Houten in the leading role...it opened the road to Hollywood for Carice, so I thought it would be good...but it wasn't. The whole film is like a comic; you just don't feel anything with what's happening. Paul Verhoeven is good at making beautiful pictures, but I missed this movie just misses content. It doesn't take you, you just feel like watching a theater play. Apart from that; I did think Carice was a good actress before I'd seen Blackbook, and I still do. I'm just a fan of her; she's a very pretty, talented woman, but her talent just doesn't come out in this movie. Practically in the next scene after Rachel's/Ellis' family is killed, she's cheerful again. Right, she says: "I'm unable to cry about it," but this just doesn't make sense; her whole family has been killed and she's smiling again in the next scene! This might be a part of Verhoeven's directing, but it just makes you feel; this doesn't make sense. Yet, I love Carice's acting. I'm just a fan of her, but I found it a pity. This movie is a missed chance to make something really beautiful.