'BLACK BOOK' BOILS OVER WITH THRILLS, TREACHERY.Byline: Glenn Whipp Film Critic In Paul Verhoeven's stuffed-to-bursting, brazenly entertaining World War II movie "Black Book," the sexy Jewish heroine runs straight from the Holocaust into the arms of a compassionate Gestapo officer who's trying to be something more than a good German. Liberation day Liberation Day is a day, often a public holiday, that marks the liberation of a place, similar to an independence day. Liberation marks the date of either a revolution, as in Cuba, or the end of an occupation by another state, thereby differing from independence in the meaning of is viewed with dread, and members of the underground resistance have hearts blacker than the uniforms of the S.S. No, this is not your usual war movie, not by a long mile. Verhoeven and his screenwriter-collaborator Gerard Soeteman have come up with an exhilarating potboiler pot·boil·er n. A literary or artistic work of poor quality, produced quickly for profit. [From the phrase boil the pot, to provide one's livelihood. that is thrilling, erotic and constant in its desire to upend viewers' expectations. It's Verhoeven at the top of his game, delivering the kind of exciting war movie that deftly combines top-flight production values Production values is a media term for "production cost." It refers to the professional look, or "polish," of a production. Factors that affect perceived production value may include video and audio quality, lighting, number of errors, and amount and quality of special effects. with a European sensibility in its examination of what people will do to survive. Verhoeven shot "Black Book" in the Netherlands, returning to his home country after a 20-year Hollywood sojourn marked by audacity and excess. As much as he is remembered for helming the howlingly bad "Showgirls," and for giving the world Sharon Stone's crotch crotch n. The angle or region of the angle formed by the junction of two parts or members, such as two branches, limbs, or legs. in "Basic Instinct," Verhoeven is also the talented filmmaker who made "Robocop," "Total Recall" and "Starship Troopers," the latter being a canny (and heavily ironic) piece of criticism of American imperialism masquerading as a sci-fi bug movie. There's no mistaking the meaning of "Black Book." The movie is basically a repudiation of Verhoeven's 1977 film "Soldier of Orange," an absorbing, but one-dimensional look at Dutch resistance The Dutch resistance to the Nazi occupation during World War II developed relatively slowly, but its counterintelligence, domestic sabotage, and communications networks provided key support to Allied forces beginning in 1944 and through the liberation of the country. during World War II. Thirty years later (and older), Verhoeven knows that heroes can also behave despicably -- and villains can have their moments of conscience, too. He also knows that such an unsteady mixture makes for more compelling drama. "Black Book" takes place in Holland in 1944, as the war is winding down. Jewish singer Rachel (amazing newcomer Carice van Houten Van Houten may refer to:
The movie is filled with murder and betrayal, great escapes and savage butchery -- and an improbable love story made potent by the scorching scorch v. scorched, scorch·ing, scorch·es v.tr. 1. To burn superficially so as to discolor or damage the texture of. See Synonyms at burn1. 2. chemistry between van Houten and Koch, the great German actor who played the writer in "The Lives of Others." The movie hurtles through its 2 1/2-hour running time, piling on the treachery, never letting its foot off the brake until the filmmakers have exhausted every narrative possibility -- and, in the process, the audience. Being winded has rarely felt so good. Glenn Whipp, (818) 713-3672 glenn.whipp@dailynews.com BLACK BOOK - Three and one half stars (R: strong violence, graphic nudity, sexuality, language) Starring: Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch. Director: Paul Verhoeven. Running time: 2 hr. 25 min. In a nutshell: Director Verhoeven goes back to Holland and finds his chops, delivering a brazenly entertaining war movie. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Thom Hoffman and Carice van Houten try to smuggle smug·gle v. smug·gled, smug·gling, smug·gles v.tr. 1. To import or export without paying lawful customs charges or duties. 2. To bring in or take out illicitly or by stealth. guns and letters aboard a train in "Black Book." |
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