User reviews

As a Dutch guy, iHostage hit differently. I remembered the real story from the news, and seeing it dramatized was both fascinating and frustrating. The movie is suspenseful from start to finish. There's a constant feeling of unease, especially because it's so grounded in something that actually happened.

What stands out is how it highlights the failures of the Dutch police response. You want to believe these situations are handled professionally, but what the movie shows is a lack of preparation and decisive action. It's sad but, unfortunately, realistic. The story itself is well-acted and well-paced. You stay locked in because you know this isn't fiction-it's a reflection of real incompetence. Definitely worth watching, especially for Dutch viewers.

Overall I liked learning more about this real life event. However, the actual movie wasn't the best as most other commenters have mentioned. Perhaps the lack of emotion in the voice dubs did it an injustice.

Some things weren't necessary - pizza for the cops, the one who didn't like leaving his wife and kids behind to go do his job.

I did enjoy seeing behind the scenes for an operation like this. And the way they worked together with different units to keep the guy distracted and keep everyone informed.

Wish there was more back story instead on the perp, the main hostage and the 4 in the closet.

IHostage is based on a true story that once dominated the Dutch headlines, which immediately gives the movie a certain weight. Unfortunately, it never really digs deeper than a surface-level retelling. While the events themselves are inherently dramatic, the film fails to explore the emotional or psychological layers that could have made it truly gripping.

Characters remain flat, and there's little insight into their motivations or inner struggles. The code word felt clumsy and unrealistic, seriously undermining the tension. Overall, a missed opportunity to turn a powerful story into a decent movie.

For a Dutch movie, it was really impressive. There are not many Dutch movies that are this strong. The acting of most actors was really good. However, they rushed some scenes and took their time with others.

Seeing how all of this went from the insider and outsider perspective, instead of only from the media, was a nice point of view. The main parts that were in the media were also in the movie, what I personal really liked.

However, I would have preferred some scenes to be shorter, and others (like the ending of the movie) to be a bit longer.

But besides all of this, it was a really good movie. It is something I didn't expect for a Dutch movie!!! Impressive.

I looked forward to viewing this film. I enjoy foreign films. American tv is over produced and the writing is often not stellar. But European films and episodics tend to be gritier and more realistic. Grounded acting and real looking people who are not overly groomed. But Ihostage felt American, especially the constant music which turned it into melodrama and sentimentalized the story. The dialogue was often over written, as though they were explaining info to a not very bright audience. Dog Day Afternoon this is not. The great acting of Pacino, Cazale, Durning, etc. Reminds one how far films can go. Although I enjoyed ihostage overall, i certainly hoped for more.

Update to respond to quidnunq: Reality as you put it is what "really" happened. Were anyone from the production crew there at the day of the event? Did this production/direction crew quote word for word of everyone afterwards, that would have been amazing. Did they stand shoulder to shoulder with the police force during event so they can carefully recount it on screen? This is of course all performance art which is why its NOT a documentary. That's why they say "based" on real events so to allow for directors' interpretation. I admit I did not know of a previous documentary which I would have gladly watched that but this is what popped up on my list instead. I knew it had to be fictional in a sense and rated it as a fictional work ergo critiquing the story and acting. You may have your preferences and rating methods no need to harp on others' opinions. We're here to rate our experience with a movie/show you seem to want to opine about other people's opinions. There is reddit for that type of interaction.

Suicide bomber takes over an Apple store and holds man hostage. That's it, that's all you get. The problem with this movie is they are portraying real events that occurred. The most critical missing element is the story from the bomber. Without his story its all pretty much meaningless. The public is left to make up their own conclusions therefore why make this movie at all?

What can we take away from this film? The stellar acting? No. The victims' stories? No. The great police work? No. The fantastic negotiator? Again no. I can understand if they wanted to produce an accurate account of the crisis. Better to have done a documentary where you can watch first hand accounts from the victims and police. Instead they tried to make this a dramatic police thriller with very little action and no tension or suspense. Boring and soulless waste of 1hr 40 mins.

This film manages to capture your attention from the very first moments. It feels tense, raw, and surprisingly realistic-almost as if you are witnessing real events unfold rather than watching a dramatized interpretation. There's an authenticity to the way the story is presented, both in the cinematography and in the pacing of the narrative. The director clearly made a conscious effort to stay as close as possible to the real-life events that inspired the film, and that effort pays off in a big way.

One of the film's strongest aspects is its emotional impact. The intensity of the storyline is palpable, and it leaves a lasting impression. It's not just a typical thriller or drama; instead, it dives deep into the psychology of the characters and the strange, unsettling circumstances they find themselves in. The story itself is unusual-perhaps even bizarre at times-but it's this very strangeness that makes it so compelling. You find yourself constantly wondering what will happen next, unable to predict the next turn in the plot.

The main characters are portrayed with nuance and depth. The actors in these lead roles deliver performances that are convincing and emotionally engaging. You can sense their inner conflicts, their fears, and their motivations. It's clear they took the time to fully understand their characters, and that makes their performances feel honest and human. They don't overact; instead, they allow the emotions to unfold naturally, which strengthens the film's realism.

However, not all performances are equally strong. While the lead actors shine, some of the supporting roles come across as a bit stiff or forced. It's not a major issue, but it does occasionally pull you out of the immersive atmosphere the film works so hard to create. These moments are rare, though, and they don't overshadow the overall quality of the production. Still, a little more attention to casting or directing those secondary parts might have made a difference in terms of consistency.

Despite these minor flaws, the film remains highly recommended. The story is simply too powerful to ignore. It deals with themes that are both deeply personal and universally resonant-fear, trust, isolation, and the complexity of human relationships. These themes are explored not just through dialogue, but also through visual storytelling. The camera work, lighting, and settings all contribute to a feeling of claustrophobia and intensity, reflecting the emotional state of the characters.

One of the most commendable things about the film is the respect it shows for the real-life events it is based on. Too often, filmmakers feel the need to sensationalize or exaggerate true stories for dramatic effect, but this film avoids that trap. Instead, it tells the story with sensitivity and restraint. It never feels exploitative or disrespectful. On the contrary, it invites the viewer to reflect on what happened and consider the broader implications without pushing a particular message too hard.

In conclusion, this film is not just another entry in the crowded field of drama-thrillers. It stands out because of its raw emotional energy, its attention to detail, and its commitment to portraying a difficult story with honesty. It's an intense experience-not always easy to watch-but definitely worth your time. Whether you're drawn in by the psychological tension, the human drama, or the strange twists of the plot, you'll likely find something in this film that stays with you long after the credits roll.

If you're looking for a film that combines strong acting, a fascinating and unusual story, and a commitment to realism, this one is definitely worth watching. It's a haunting reminder of how truth can be stranger-and more powerful-than fiction.

The details of this film are way off the quality this should have had, lacked the tension based on reality of what happened because of how bad and laughable the acting, script, and deliveries are. I honestly can't believe it's been agreed to be the Final Cut after the true story was a great baseline.

Acting and dialogue were awful, realism of emergency response was woeful, camera shot choices were reducing interest, and no depth to key elements. Nuts and a hard watch.

Watching other films based on reality like the Norwegian massacre or United 93 it's hard to see why this film was produced so poorly.

I am becoming quite the fan of Dutch movies of the sort.

Golden hour was the series that sort of started it all and it was a seminar of pace,actions scenes and suspense.

This one has the added bonus of being based on true events.

This very fact makes it more gripping and realistic from the get go.

It does not have to adhere to any preconceived narrative or flow. The true events create the narrative themselves. That said all the actors do a fine job and everything is rendered with due care and diligence.

I believe that anyone who chooses to spend almost two hours watching it will not be disappointed.

After all,it is,more or less,what happened.

I watched this film hoping for a tense action film but after just a few minutes I realised that it was going to be dull and have the worst over dubbed dialogue ever!! What a pile of rubbish! I would have rather watched it with the Dutch language than the awful American version. The ending was very weak and the film was too long. The real life story seems to bear little resemblance to the film. I found it unusual that the Dutch had made such a lame version of a situation which I'm sure was incredibly tense. I usually enjoy European films as they tend to be gritty and realistic. To be honest I my rating of 3 was very generous.

I love how so many people on here are complaining about the fact that there was no explanation about the hostage taker's motive, his Arabic name, the little details there are about the hostage, etcetera. Meanwhile this movie is based on real events and it's simply a mystery what his motives were (because it was never found out, duh!). The hostage taker literally had a Syrian ethnicity (news flash: people with around 180 different ethnical backgrounds live in the Netherlands and many have very thick Dutch local accents, because they were born and raised here). The hostage decided to stay anonymous after the event, so there is little known about him, except that he's from Bulgaria. So they made a movie about facts. They followed the literal storyline as much as possible. But it's not sensational enough? It needed a bit more drama, or... well, lies? Reality can't have plot holes, just missing facts.

Oh and for the ones saying: I'd rather have watched an actual documentary, with actual statements from people who were there. So..? Go do that then. That documentary already came out over a year ago. You can't blame anyone for not knowing, except yourself. Some people don't like documentaries. Now they can watch this movie and also learn about what happened that day.

A suicide bomber takes a hostage in an Apple Store.

This was based on a real event. Maybe this is riveting to Dutch people, but I found it a bit lifeless in spots. The story is interesting, but the parts that involve the hostages sometimes feel like cheap dramatic reenactments on a TV show. These scenes could have been nail-biters. The intensity just wasn't there, though.

The scenes with the police were better, I thought. They got to move around more and didn't have to constantly act terrified. More scenes with the police might have helped the movie move along a bit. Some of the scenes with the hostages were tense, though, and I thought they handled one scene in particular well, where there was a potential medical emergency.

We never really learn a lot about any of the characters, and the drama isn't exactly the most intense thing ever. It's an adequate time-passer on Netflix, though. As a bonus, the English dub is pretty good.

I was more disappointed in this movie than the iPhone 16. At least the iPhone 16 worked. This movie did not work. I felt it was built for a good movie but needed an update. This was such a letdown. No update would save this movie. I'm not sure how people are giving this move a good review. It was a very slow burn story that would probably not even be on the front page story here in America. The acting was just ok it was the story itself that's really was a fail. This movie made in consider canceling Netflix. How could they release such a bad movie. I with I could get my hour and a half back. I was I ripped off.

Some films, even when technically solid, just don't leave a mark. IHostage is one of them. Based on a real case, it has moments of tension and does what it's supposed to, but it fails to deliver on an emotional level. The direction is competent, the pacing holds up, and the atmosphere builds suspense fairly well. The issue is: there's no emotional weight. The characters aren't well developed, you don't connect with them, and as a result, you don't really care what happens.

Even though it tries to keep us on edge, you never truly worry about anyone. And if you don't care what happens to the characters, it's hard to feel invested in the story. The harsh reality behind the real events could've been used for something far more powerful, but here it just becomes a sequence of tense scenes that don't quite land.

It's not a bad movie-watchable, and some might enjoy it more than I did. But that buzz about it being "unmissable" is clearly overhyped. IHostage doesn't offend, but it certainly doesn't move you either.

It's a drama, not an action movie. It's too long. The ending takes 15 minutes to do nothing. You never feel connected to the victims.

I couldn't care less about the protagonist because from the fact that he acts very badly to the fact that I'm not interested in his character, I know nothing about him.

We don't know the kidnapper's history, nor do we care.

No one seems to be very intelligent, the police, and the negotiator, in other words, are being led without a point, a focus on where you're going, like a movie. It's not a completely bad movie, it can entertain you if you have nothing better to do, but it's not recommended enough to make you miss out on seeing it.

Everything is overacted, with meaningless conversations that make it impossible to connect with any of the characters. I do not think any viewer cared about any of the protagonist.

The path is slow and after 20 minutes it slow down even more. Feels like they had to fill a certain minutes with random stuff.

The police behavior is comically unrealistic and makes no sense. I hope the police didn't act like that.

I've seen school projects with more professionalism. I'm not familiar with the original story, but if this adaptation is accurate, it wasn't worth making into a full-length movie.

I cannot recommend it.

A very nice movie about a crime which realy happened. They mostly follow the true storyline. Good play and a story with an end that's give you satisfaction and let you think about the background of the criminal. The motivation of the hostage is not motivated by a religion, but personal circumstances.

The negotiators feels exactly the tempature of tension during the phonecalls. There is an documentory about the hostage of the Applestore in Amsterdam, which is also very interesting to see. The cast of the movie was excellent and played very well. The director of the movie has delivered a beautifull movie.

How difficult is it to keep to the actual happening when making a documovie like this. The negotiator was replaced within an hour since the start of the hostage taking because she did not undertand what a detonator is... very strange that they would ignore this fact.

Furthermore, the documentary and even a single news article about the happening is more thrilling then this movie. Simply because they actually tell the whole story and the true story.

You can see the documentary about the hostage taking also online i believe. If people are interested in the happening itself then i would reccomend it.

I found "iHostage" to be a very unnecessary movie.

While hostage stories can be exciting and make for a good film, this one didn't offer anything special. The actual incident on which it is based was not compelling enough to support an entire film.

The biggest problem is that none of the characters are deep or memorable. The hostage-taker, the hostages, the police, and the negotiator all feel flat and one-dimensional. There's no real backstory or emotion to make you care about what happens to them.

Overall, "iHostage" is a forgettable film that doesn't add anything new or interesting to the hostage genre. It's not worth your time if you're looking for a movie with strong characters or a gripping story.

It's a pathetic movie, which have no story and no viewer attention. I slept 3 time during movie because of this boring and pointless story. Kidnapper acting was more than pathetic, it's like someone forcing him to read dialogues. Total tome waste!!!

Police and agencies were so baseless, no plan of what to do, having party and gossips in car, while waiting kidnapper to surrender.

The only person who did a better acting was the hostage only.

None of the actor in whole movie knows their role and no idea how to act.

Highly not recommended!!! Pleas don't waste your time. This movie will give you headache.