Carmen van het noorden -aka- Carmen of the North is a pleasant but surprisingly watered down version of "Carmen: A Hip Hopera", which is an American hip hop remake of the classic film "Carmen Jones". Carmen Jones was a classically seductive role most prominently tackled by DOROTHY DANDRIDGE almost 50 years before! The original 2001 hip hop version starred America's internationally known, award-winning music artist, Beyonce Knowles from Destiny's Child, as Carmen. This Dutch version was almost identical but w/ Sanguita Akkrum playing Carmen as an inspiring rap artist. Beyonce played a seductive, aspiring actress who meets Off. Hill, a principled, hard-nosed cop whom gives up those principles hoping to experience a lifetime of passion with her character, Carmen. Sgt. Tony Portera was his supportive supervisor. Lt. Miller was the quietly menacing villain in the dept. Ultimately, he becomes a corrupted, cop friend who betrays Off. Hill in the end.
In Carmen van het noorden, veteran actor, Thom Hoffman, was convincing and professional in his role as the corrupt cop and his expressions & delivery went extremely well. Akkrum's portrayal of Carmen was powerful, intense, and very seductive. It combined well w/ her stand-offish behavior! I don't how she did it but she rocked it and really put some kind of flavor in her character Carmen, I liked her game, she looked amazing, very sexy and attractive. It was the lead, Tygo Gernandt that let the film down. Because he wasn't convincing & didn't seem comfortable in the role of a rookie detective, the film lost some of it's potential. Obviously the film wasn't important enough for him to research his role. And, the fact that they had him more concerned than everyone else about the murdered victim (by reminding his girlfriend & bosses hubby that he dealing w/ a DEAD VICTIM & had to stay focused), didn't sit to well w/ him spending 95% of the film daydreaming & chasing Carmen rather than trying to solve the case. Whenever he did decide to go to work, his bosses were yelling at him b/c he would never answer his cell & they were never able to reach him! Huh?! And it started before Carmen. Is that how cops operate in Netherlands? I didn't see the purpose for throwing that in the script. No doubt Gernandt can act, but his acting isn't flexible or creative enough to deliver 'just any' lead performance or role. Without Hoffman & Akkrum carrying the film, the acting here is average yet adequate enough and compensated by one decent musical delivery (the same song plays through the whole film). Still, the movie is definitely very decent and although you probably wont hurt your brain watching it, it will entertain you.
(note: Carmen's story has been told a thousand times over films & opera but introducing some interesting variations. She is usually a prostitute, temptress, or a gypsy woman as in the Spanish version w/ (Paz Vega). Never-the -less, she is a sultry, sexy, bedazzling woman, who has the mouth of the devil, the temper of a 'toro' and who recklessly leads men to their doom. The American/Dutch plot is great for a modern day version of the fantastic opera, and I couldn't think of anyone else but Beyonce & Sanguita Akkrum playing the role.)
In Carmen van het noorden, veteran actor, Thom Hoffman, was convincing and professional in his role as the corrupt cop and his expressions & delivery went extremely well. Akkrum's portrayal of Carmen was powerful, intense, and very seductive. It combined well w/ her stand-offish behavior! I don't how she did it but she rocked it and really put some kind of flavor in her character Carmen, I liked her game, she looked amazing, very sexy and attractive. It was the lead, Tygo Gernandt that let the film down. Because he wasn't convincing & didn't seem comfortable in the role of a rookie detective, the film lost some of it's potential. Obviously the film wasn't important enough for him to research his role. And, the fact that they had him more concerned than everyone else about the murdered victim (by reminding his girlfriend & bosses hubby that he dealing w/ a DEAD VICTIM & had to stay focused), didn't sit to well w/ him spending 95% of the film daydreaming & chasing Carmen rather than trying to solve the case. Whenever he did decide to go to work, his bosses were yelling at him b/c he would never answer his cell & they were never able to reach him! Huh?! And it started before Carmen. Is that how cops operate in Netherlands? I didn't see the purpose for throwing that in the script. No doubt Gernandt can act, but his acting isn't flexible or creative enough to deliver 'just any' lead performance or role. Without Hoffman & Akkrum carrying the film, the acting here is average yet adequate enough and compensated by one decent musical delivery (the same song plays through the whole film). Still, the movie is definitely very decent and although you probably wont hurt your brain watching it, it will entertain you.
(note: Carmen's story has been told a thousand times over films & opera but introducing some interesting variations. She is usually a prostitute, temptress, or a gypsy woman as in the Spanish version w/ (Paz Vega). Never-the -less, she is a sultry, sexy, bedazzling woman, who has the mouth of the devil, the temper of a 'toro' and who recklessly leads men to their doom. The American/Dutch plot is great for a modern day version of the fantastic opera, and I couldn't think of anyone else but Beyonce & Sanguita Akkrum playing the role.)
