REVIEW: 'iHostage' - Gritty, Gripping, And Uncomfortably Real
- Carlo van Remortel
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Dutch filmmakers are seriously stepping up their game. Sure, all eyes are on Halina Reijn after her recent hit BabyGirl, but the Netherlands, as tiny as it is, is cranking out far more than just one standout voice. Case in point: iHostage, a new thriller now streaming on Netflix, directed by Bobby Boermans, who previously gave us The Golden Hour (also on Netflix, by the way).
Last year, Boermans released Invasion, a film that, let’s be honest, probably didn’t make much noise beyond the Dutch borders. But with iHostage, he’s aiming for a bigger stage. No battlefield drama this time, but this one's tight, tense, and claustrophobic. The story centers around the 2022 hostage crisis in Amsterdam’s Apple Store, a true event that shook the Netherlands but likely made it no further than a brief headline on CNN abroad.
Well, Boermans is here to change that. iHostage doesn’t just revisit that moment, it drags it back into the spotlight, unflinching and full-force. And somehow, he manages to wrap all that tension in a cinematic package that’s both thrilling and oddly satisfying.
More Than Just a Headline
What really sets iHostage apart is how it dares to go deeper than the usual clickbait news cycle. Rather than rehashing the event like a tabloid reel, Boermans zooms in on the human experience on both sides of the glass. What does a day like that do to the police officers trying to manage it? What’s going through the minds of the people trapped inside? The emotional aftermath and those long shadows that trauma casts is the film’s true heartbeat.
Fans of The Golden Hour will feel right at home. Tonally, iHostage lives in that same suspenseful space. Honestly, it could almost pass for a spin-off, and I mean that as a compliment. The Golden Hour is still one of the strongest Dutch series in recent years, and yes, season two is on its way.
A Cast That Surprises
Here’s where it gets fun. Instead of stacking the film with the usual (Dutch) household names, Boermans gives the floor to fresh faces and it pays off. Sure, familiar talents like Marcel Hensema and Loes Haverkort pop up. But the real star here? Admir Šehović. His performance as one of the hostages is raw, unnerving, and achingly real. He doesn’t just act, but inhabits the role.
You Know How It Ends—And Still, You’re Hooked
Yes, we all know how this ends. There’s no jaw-dropping twist or last-minute plot detour. The climax is telegraphed a mile away. But Boermans plays the long game. He builds tension brick by brick, breathing life into the characters so effectively that you can’t look away, even when you think you know what’s coming.
Even the perpetrator gets a bit more nuance than expected. Since the real-life motivations were never fully uncovered, the film leans into creative license here. The result? A fictionalized portrait that adds intrigue without tipping into full-on sympathy.
A Sharp Dutch Thriller
Is iHostage flawless? Not quite. The ending is too predictable to land a real emotional gut punch. But you know what? That’s a small price to pay for everything the film does get right. It’s stylish, gripping, and offers a rare, intimate look into a moment that stopped the Netherlands in its tracks. Will American Netflix users be as captivated? Maybe not. But this is a bold reminder that Dutch filmmakers are capable of creating much more than cozy romcoms and lousy feel-good shows.
iHostage is a dutch thriller that hits hard, and leaves you wanting more. Bring on season two of The Golden Hour. We’re ready!