Currently the Dutch film industry is under fire. Right wing political parties are demanding heavy reforms in the arts. Basically because they think art has become too 'elite'. Well, here's the movie for the masses and it's called 'Sint'. Based on the very popular Dutch holiday Sinterklaas (Santa Clause, but with a horse instead of reindeer and black slaves instead of elves... yeah, really), 80s action wunderkind Dick Maas ('Amsterdamned' & 'The Lift') brings us another 'action spectacular'.
It's a shame though that Maas forgot the thing he did best in the 80s; write a compelling script with colorful characters we care about. Instead he believes that his audience will be satisfied with some decent enough stunts and effects (for Dutch standards). The complete lack of any sense of dread (it is a horror film you know), a protagonist (pretty much every character has a supporting role) or a third act (or first for that matter) are just minor details.
I can't help but think there are more than enough eager young filmmakers who can deliver the same (or better) quality stunts and effects, but with the care and love we remember from Dick's earlier efforts. If a filmmaker has reached the point of paying homage to his own work, not once but several times (for example, by showing us clips of his TV series 'Flodder'), than it's pretty save to say he's done evolving as a filmmaker.
Instead of giving money to a relic, please help new genre talent. Interesting Dutch directors with the same commercial sensibilities, but who still have the fire to make something worth while. And then, who knows, one day we might even walk out of a Dutch genre film without saying; "Well, what did you expect from a Dutch genre film?" or (even worse) "That was pretty decent by Dutch standards."
It's a shame though that Maas forgot the thing he did best in the 80s; write a compelling script with colorful characters we care about. Instead he believes that his audience will be satisfied with some decent enough stunts and effects (for Dutch standards). The complete lack of any sense of dread (it is a horror film you know), a protagonist (pretty much every character has a supporting role) or a third act (or first for that matter) are just minor details.
I can't help but think there are more than enough eager young filmmakers who can deliver the same (or better) quality stunts and effects, but with the care and love we remember from Dick's earlier efforts. If a filmmaker has reached the point of paying homage to his own work, not once but several times (for example, by showing us clips of his TV series 'Flodder'), than it's pretty save to say he's done evolving as a filmmaker.
Instead of giving money to a relic, please help new genre talent. Interesting Dutch directors with the same commercial sensibilities, but who still have the fire to make something worth while. And then, who knows, one day we might even walk out of a Dutch genre film without saying; "Well, what did you expect from a Dutch genre film?" or (even worse) "That was pretty decent by Dutch standards."