User Reviews (163)

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  • mjsreg28 September 2020
    This is a good series. The story is interesting, and the execution of it in production is excellent, as is the acting.

    The problem is the ending. There really isn't enough time in a 30 minute episode to bring the story to a really good ending that does the story justice. The ending felt rushed by trying to tie-up everything.
  • I've read a few reviews that have said the series makes no sense, even after watching the whole show. I have to disagree, though the show doesn't hold your hand and reveal every question, it also has just enough, I found, to be enjoyable and suspenseful. Of course not everything is supposed to be taken literally, it's a supernatural/thriller about classism, regret and fear. These key elements are what you should be thinking over while watching, in my opinion. How do the rich elite get to where they are with little or no empathy? At only 8 episodes, the show is an easy watch and really starts ramping it up at episode 4 or so. I will agree some scenes are slow, but if that's still too long for you, maybe skip it. If not, I recommend, especially for the acting and interesting character developments.
  • unended23 January 2020
    Warning: Spoilers
    No, this is not "just another show of anti-white racism" as one reviewer wrote. Yes, it is about a ruling class, which in the Netherlands just happens to be white. But it's not an indictment of the (white) Dutch people as a whole. It's about how mechanisms to deal with guilt (literally expelling it in the show) are necessary to obtain and keep power. And the context is a society in which power has been inherited from those involved in the slave trade, which happens to be a historical fact for the Netherlands but is not really the point. The message is broader. In the show, powerful people kill themselves when the mechanisms to cope with their guilt are stripped from them and they have to confront the terrible things they have done to obtain or keep their power.

    I agree with others that the show started off a little slow but as a whole was quite well done, well acted and well told.
  • I also dont know why this is getting some horrible reviews. Dutch like northern Germans are quiet people who don't over embellish. I found I was brought into the story and knew all the characters. This is not a slasher film but builds to important climaxes. Dubbing was done exceptionally well!
  • Warning: Spoilers
    This is the first tv show from my own country that I've seen that has beautiful cinematography, artistic vision, a good score, extravagant sets and great costume design, but I only gave it 3 stars, because without these points there's basically nothing left that's praise worthy. The idea for this show is quite interesting but sadly it was just poorly executed. The characters are both unlikeable and one dimensional, you simply don't care for any of them. The choices made especially by Rosa are just strange and unrealistic. Why would you join an association that you know nothing about and which your good friend is terrified of? Curiosity? The chances she keeps talking about? She sure didn't know about the chances it could give her before she joined. Then you have her family, she suddenly lives in Ares' headquarters (?) with no expenses which is already weird but what about her dad? His daughter suddenly doesn't live at home anymore and she acted very strange in the hospital, wearing clothes completely opposite of what she would normally wear and she's with a strange woman her dad most likely has never seen, and he just doesn't do anything? Lets her go and doesn't call the police? It's extremely unrealistic, after watching the entire season his reasoning is still unclear and irresponsible especially since he knew about the association. I assume this show never meant to be realistic since it doesn't make sense culturally -and honestly doesn't make sense overall- but some things are almost laughable which is not a good sign since this show seems to take itself extremely seriously. The acting is a typical dutch standard: plain awful. Somehow we can't seem to perform acting wise in this language since it all sounds robotic and awkward. This also goes for the dialogue, nothing that was said had any value at all and it went nowhere. There are barely any explanations for events, probably for the purpose of mystery, but it just makes this show look pretentious and it shows bad writing. I have to say I was very interested when I saw the trailer since most dutch movies and shows are awful romantic comedies and for me personally, they're all unwatchable. So this seemed promising since there's not really anything out there like this show from our country and because the cinematography looked good for the very first time. But good camera work doesn't make up for the lack of plot, logic, bad acting, useless dialogue. I'm very disappointed, this could really have been something with a good script and solid directing. However this is still a step in the right direction after years of those "comedies". Hopefully there will be some improvements in future shows.
  • Tonight my wife and and I watched four episodes. My wife was truly surprised by the atmosphere of the serie. The acting and dialogues could be better, but I love the way it is filmed. Great job so far!
  • Warning: Spoilers
    The very first scene is very interesting, and the first episode manages to keep viewers entertained but then... it seems to spiral out of control as uninteresting characters keep hogging the screen and mostly nothing happens. The horror elements fail to scare or to entice the viewer. Rosa seems interesting at first but then you lose empathy for her as she dives deep into a society she knows absolutely nothing about, sacrificing all she was and all she has for no discernible reason.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    This is the first netflix series from Netherlands. It's not really about a student fraternity but this is what you think the first three episodes. I really had a hard time getting through endless talking heads and shallow characters and initiation rituals that were quite lame. I felt quite disappointed and feared that this show was not more than some familiar horror elements thrown together in the blender.

    But then, everything changed. The show gets very dark (literally, sometime you can hardly see what happens) and mysterious. I think the whole symbolism is obvious. But if you are not Dutch and don't know about our history this can explain why you don't get it.

    In the first episode somebody already asks "how do you think the Dutch got so rich and powerful?" well the answer is given in the last episode. The price for this "success" is high and we are still feeling the effects. Poverty in Africa and social struggles in Indonesia, Surinams etc. are partly because of the endeavours of our ancestors. In modern times the people from the former colonies ask for us to recognize our rascist past. And people respond to this demand differently. this is ultimately what this series is about. The struggle portraited in a symbolic way. The solution seems to be, live with your guilt (and swallow it) or not. I think the show is very clear.

    In the end this show is not about a fraternity. This is not a cult and the people in it are not evil. They are also a victim and to blame and the same time. The secret they protect is the source of their succes. But ultimately it's also the source of their demise. It left me thinking. This show works on different levels and i am really curious what will happen in the next season.
  • The first dutch netflix original disappointed me. I watched it in two days. Starts nice, family in the Bijlmer, boyfriend with the surname of Six (very famous family in dutch history), using Rijksmuseum / Nachtwacht as a decor. But along the way storyline develops not very understandable. Their should be an idea of why the Netherlands grew so powerful in the Golden Century and stayed that way. But the present with the student body Ares doesn't reveal a real storyline. The acting is not to bad (Hans Kesting is a great actor) but the whispering and to many too dark scenes are making it hard to follow sometimes...
  • bobetjo17 January 2020
    As another review said, the characters speak to each other in opaque ways. It made me think of some Brechtian drama where no one answers each others questions but just declaim to an audience.

    The scenes drag a bit. So OK the frat society have meals in the Rikjsmuseun and claim to be descendants of the original Night Watch. (Ignoring that the canvas was resized and some subjects removed). But that bit goes on and on.

    The initiation ceremony is just silly. All in all, one to miss.
  • evechamera19 January 2020
    10/10
    10/10
    I loved the atmosphere, the acting, esp. of the main character. I was looking for something dark but without the typical gore and action. The series is different from others, for me it wasn't boring at all, I binged the season in one day.
  • Roy04618 January 2020
    Warning: Spoilers
    They did a good job with the atmosphere of the serie. Acting was a bit lame and some things could be explained a little bit more. Like the old lady (was she from the Golden Age?) Or the portal, how did they find it and it's link with vomitting the black substance etc.

    I don't know if there's a second season in the making and if then all these things and more will be explained.
  • tijnleon18 January 2020
    Warning: Spoilers
    Very illogical, nobody wonders where Rosa is and when she her father again he also doesn't want to know. She suddenly goes along with strange people and does not wonder why she does that. The whole series is simply not right and there are many inhumane things. Everything is read according to the script and the conversations are not natural.

    It is a super mysterious society where it is difficult to get to power, but rosa can become president after 2 weeks.

    The mystery of Ares is too mediocre to have to wait for 8 episodes. It is certainly not spectacular.

    It is not recommended.
  • Finally a Dutch show that tries something different. Immediately got soaked in to the story because they throw a lot of unanswered plotlines, which was intreaging. Sadly the plotlines didn't get a wholesome explanation. This could be a good thing (David lynch), but here it felt a bit too forced. I have to say i loved the atmosphere, soundtrack and beautiful cameraeork. Also roza her performance was very convincing. Hope Dutch series will keep improving and take inspiration of this one!
  • I gave an extra star for some cool visionary effects but what stood very far from other stars being given is the boring lackluster same college secret society plot. I'm not an evil critic, but this show sucks.
  • It's definitely not perfect but some of the scenes make it worthwhile. the ending especially left me speechless.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    From the start of the very first scene the main aim of this series becomes very clear. This series revolves around the shock factor from its thrilling scenes and leaves character development and explored thematics as secondary structures. If that is all that takes for you to be entertained then by all means go ahead and see it because that's where it excels. For other viewers I propose you read further:

    The shameful part is that the acting, cinematography and set-pieces them self are all decently done. The Cinematography looks good, containing soft glowing colours, great use of framing the characters, symmetrical aesthetically pleasing shots of Amsterdam and it's surroundings and great use of lighting in scenes with artistic renditions around the horror scenes. The horror scenes are all well put together with dark toned lighting presented in small corridors around the basements of the student organisation Ares, which itself is a darkly lit classical looking building where most of the story takes place. Artistic shots are presented in a stage-like lighting setup in the fashion of how "Stranger Things" or "Under the Skin" does it. The only possible downside to the cinematography is that there is very little motion in camera movements and it tends to rely on slow pans or static shots in order to build its tension. Besides the decent cinematography the Dutch cast does an intricate job of portraying the wide range of emotions requested for the characters. Their portrayed emotions make sense in a scene to scene basis but not taking into account the picture as a whole. This is due to one main reason:

    All thematics introduced are left as secondary plot devices as the episodes like to set up these shocking dark and gory set pieces instead. For starters the main character, named Rosa, has an inner struggle where her ambition is being pitted against her connection with her family. This is severely underdeveloped. The writer wants you to feel that she is unchallenged in her college life and makes decisions in favour of her ambition, which a satanic student organisation called Ares can provide so she goes deeper into this organisation while leaving her family in the dust. Only a few superficial interactions between her and her family are shown beforehand and this make you wonder if she even cares for them at all. Her ambition itself also makes little logical sense as she is only a first year student while seeming to be as arrogant as they come. Her rebellion during her classes make little logical sense and she almost seems to be portrayed like a parody of what a first year medical genius actually would do. Not only does this make the set-pieces feel less emotionally impactful, but they also aren't believable. The second main character continues this trend and is called Jacob. Likewise he becomes a plot device rather than a character you care for. He is used to set up the thrilling scenes in each episode but his connection with Rosa is never fully explored. We know his family has been involved with Ares but just like Rosa we are supposed to guess he cares for them, or does he? That's my point. Then there is this hierarchy amongst the members of Ares which never makes much sense until the last episode. Some characters know more than others but other than the head of Ares the rest seem as lost in the organisation as the viewer is. Which leads me to the final conclusion of this series:

    Mystery is good but the lack of visual storytelling or deeper narrative around that mystery makes it mystery done wrong. The belief systems of Ares are teased and had so much potential. They wanted to implement the rich and dark Dutch history, such as with art and slavery, since the first episode but this never shows up again until the season finale. The hyperfocus on the demonic and satanic scenes overshadows this intend and the traits of the main characters. The final nail in the coffin was that the last episode finally showed all the interesting thematics that were so superficially hinted throughout previous episodes, which does come together in a great produced piece of cinema. But without a strong catharsis for any of these thematics or characters, I can only describe this series as one 'what could have been' and not one 'that is'.
  • I can't understand the low IMDB rating, I'm still thinking about the last episode a week later, it's full of symbolical meaning and context which I still haven't fully grasped. It all reminded me of the classic Suspiria. The series was like reading a beautiful and meaningful novel. It's also has the most beautiful sets I have ever seen in any show, the makers even seem to have unfettered access to the world renowned Rijksmuseum, in one of the scenes the Nightwatch was used in the background. it's all eye-candy

    It's one of those shows with a meaning that's not served on a plate, but when you get it, it will linger long after..
  • #personalrecommendation #giveitago 8 episodes each approx 30mins

    I liked Ares Many people didn't but I am not many people now am i?😂

    Ares to me is like something that an Ari aster fan or ari aster's assistant would write and direct but it wasn't and hence the irritation caused by the poor screenplay that looks like it lost a few page😂

    It's flawed and the screenplay is not detailed.

    It's also a little bit on the slow paced side.

    I was sold to the show in the opening scene itself but the rest of ep 1 was meh...but from ep2 till 7.... I was enjoying the show so much tbh I was in love with the environment The eeriness the mystery the characters everything was intriguing to me Although i must say....there is not a single character in this show that you will love...or care for except maybe one or two supporting characters.

    It's a good show imo....a lil bit underrated again imo seeing the bad reviews it's getting.

    And I can't say I was satisfied I mean the premise was good The acting was okay The cinematography is appreciable The bgm is good and well suited

    But it doesn't explain stuff Thats the main and only issue I have with this show But I have to say that the last episode was fire and it indeed did some explaination and let us understand what's happening to an extent but still lots left to answer.

    The climax is the highlight for me

    But it delivers....at least for me it did....but if it doesn't have a second season then I will end up saying the opposite of what I have said about this show😌😉

    But in my personal opinion Ares is one horror thriller series that isn't a must watch but definitely a good watch.
  • walkerholly-2044318 January 2020
    It's awful! The worst series I have watched in a long time. The trailer seemed really promising and I was really looking forward to watching it. It's strange, unrealistic and not enjoyable in any way. Can absolutely not recommend this show to anyone.
  • College students caught up in Secret societies are all over Netflix. Ares is exactly about this but a notch up from the usual fare. The episodes are 30ish minutes each and there's only 8 so no time is wasted and the viewer is not spoon fed the plot. Honestly, at times I was very confused. But I'd say it's worth it for the big reveal which leaves many questions but is quite startling.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    The translation of the creature in the basement is translated as Beal But of course it is Bile in English. The green black goo we throw up and means bullshit in your system.

    This make the ending more clear.

    The Dutch with all its hard consonants,like German really helps ramp up the gothicdrama, i dont speak Dutch, i guessing most of bad reviews listened dubbed.. 2nd and 3rd episode are a bit padded probably better as 6 parter

    the acting in Dutch is very good of course every one is gorgeous enjoy.
  • ericsmulders18 January 2020
    My expectations were high, but unfortunately this series does not deliver. Bad acting, bad writing, slow and boring and above all, a ridiculous story. Don't waste your time.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    Well, the meaning of the show becomes clear near the end, at about episode 7, and i liked it. problem is, although the 8 episodes are quite short, the series is still painfully slow and quite boring: it takes three episodes to build up, probably 10% of the whole time is taken by people walking slowly through beautiful rooms, 20% is made of opaque dialogs, 20% of "intense staring", 10% of suicides, 10% of vomiting, 5% of coal-covered BDSM scenes, 10% of existential drama about Rosa's choices of life, and the rest is nothing at all.

    There is great cinematography and very good musical score, a good atmosphere, some tension, but in the end everything goes on a symbolic level, revealing the big lie behind Ares society.

    I would not call a disaster at all, but still it didn't keep me on the edge of the seat. I hope they won't make a season 2, because it won't just have any sense to do it, as the story is simply complete ad it is. anyway, i would certainly not watch it
  • dpksmith9 April 2020
    It's just garbage dressed up in pseudo-intellectual gobbledegook about a secret society and how that influenced the success of the Netherlands. There's no time spent on building any characters or introducing anything so the entire series is spent wondering what's going on. Then when they finally reveal what it was all about the "big reveal" is facile to the extreme. So you're left asking, "is that it?" I'd like my 4 hours back please.
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