6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The story about the abduction of beer magnate Freddy Heineken in 1983. Loosely based on real events.
Starring: Rutger Hauer, Reinout Scholten van Aschat, Gijs Naber, Teun Kuilboer, Korneel EversHistory | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Dutch: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
48kHz, 24-bit
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Rutger Hauer hadn't made a film in his native country for thirty years when he agreed to star as Dutch beer magnate Freddy Heineken in The Heineken Kidnapping (De Heineken ontvoering). As director and co-writer Maarten Treurniet would later say, no other Dutch actor could have played the part. Hauer's intense portrayal of this powerful, private man helped propel the film to box office success in The Netherlands, as well as inspiring his younger co-stars to match his level of performance (after they recovered from their initial intimidation). The 1983 kidnap and ransom of Heineken and the subsequent pursuit of his kidnappers is a well-known story in Holland. After the film was announced, several of the perpetrators sued the production company for damage to their reputation, a point that director Treurniet treats with amusement in the documentary on this Blu-ray. "You shouldn't kidnap somebody if you don't want your reputation to be damaged", he says, with unimpeachable logic. Indeed, as noted in a disclaimer at the beginning, Treurniet and his co-writer, Kees van Beijnum, did take liberties for dramatic purposes with many factual details of the story, but they hewed closely to the key events. The result is a tense, unusual thriller filled with distinctive characters who are both magnetic and repellent.
I was unable to confirm the original shooting format of The Heineken Kidnapping, but the cinematographer, South African DP Giulio Biccari, has extensive credits on digital productions for British TV (Luther, MI-5) as well as American outlets (America: The Story of Us for The History Channel). Regardless of the shooting format, the result, after processing through a digital intermediate and conversion to a 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray, is an immaculately sharp, noiseless and detailed image with excellent black levels and a color palette that should be a treat for those who routinely complain about the amount of "teal and orange" in today's Hollywood fare. For much of its running time, The Heineken Kidnapping features colors that are duller, earthier and more prosaic, reflecting the smaller scope of the lives of its kidnapper-protagonists. The palette changes to more somber and richer tones when it depicts Heineken's life before the abduction, and it becomes even more varied late in the film when the kidnappers flee to various exotic locations. The Blu-ray handles these shifts accurately, without oversaturation or bleeding. Despite minimal extras, the 122-minute film has been placed on a BD-50 with limited compression and an average bitrate of 30.71Mbps. The image quality remains high, and artifacts are not an issue.
The soundtrack of The Heineken Kidnapping isn't rich with surround effects, but the sound editing is crucial to establishing various distinctive environments. First and foremost is the nerve-wracking ambiance of Heineken's cell during his captivity, with its piped-in music (he objects to the selections) and its crucial ventilation system supplying him with air. The start and stop of the fan provide an entire drama without dialogue. Other locales—Rem's home, the construction office, the local bar where the gang members are regulars—have their own sound cues subtly woven into the mix. I don't speak Dutch and thus can't vouch for the clarity of the dialogue. English subtitles appear in yellow and are clear and easy to read. The effective score is by Tom Holkenborg, who usually appears under the name "Junkie XL" and has contributed to the scores of Resident Evil, Shark Tale and Kingdom of Heaven.
Perhaps the most subversive element of The Heineken Kidnapping is its ambiguous stance toward right and wrong. Mainstream American films typically feel the need to underline the difference, whether they come down on the side of authority or that of an anti-hero. Treurniet is more oblique. There's never any question that the four kidnappers have broken the law and should be punished, or that Heineken and his chauffeur have been victimized. At the same time, Treurniet and Hauer reveal Heineken as someone who simply assumed that wealth and privilege were his innate right, and who never had to consider the fragility of life (his or others') until four younger men of equally outsized ambition but fewer scruples (or, perhaps, less fortunate birth) shattered his world. In the vengeful pursuit of his tormentors, Hauer's Heineken often recalls an old-style crime boss remorselessly hunting down rivals. Meanwhile, at home he is an emotional wreck. His prey on the run aren't doing much better. Between the lines of a crime caper, Treurniet has made an unsettling study of the corrupting effects of power, on both those who have it and those who seize it. Highly recommended.
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