Carice van Houten, Halina Reijn, Sebastian Koch

"Black Book" tells the moving story of a young Jewish woman who joins the Resistance in The Hague and gets entangled in a deadly web of double-dealing and betrayal. It is is an epic thriller of great ...( read more  read more... )courage and fierce emotion--played out against the dying, explosive months of WW II.

Flixster Users

87% liked it

9,033 ratings

Critics

76% liked it

140 critics

R, 2 hrs. 25 min.

Directed by: Paul Verhoeven

Release Date: April 4, 2007

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DVD Release Date: September 25, 2007

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Stats: 3,555 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,555)


  • August 4, 2009
    Always pleasant to see a Verhoeven even though it is far from being his best. It's perfectly produced but it lacks this drop of pure genius that you find in many of his other movies. The good point is that the entertainment value is great (Carice van Houten has wonderful breast a...( read more)nd she's showing them all the time!).
    From an historical point of view the story is of course unbelievable but that's not a problem. What is a problem on the other hand is not feeling the real tragedy of their situation: the allied forces are just a few miles away. Besides, I still have some problems to see a SS captain in charge of the anti-resistance fighting as a good guy, but that's personal.
    To a point the image reminded me of Lucas Cranach's painting: so rich, there's always something going one, no part of the frame is left empty.
  • July 25, 2009
    very interesting
  • July 18, 2009
    Damn near perfect. Verhoeven's triumphant return to form.
  • April 20, 2009
    Jewish woman poses as a Nazi during World War II in order to persuade a German commander to release a member of the resistance. Dutch film director, Paul Verhoeven, returns to his native roots to direct this entertaining epic drama. Interesting mix of classic storytelling and g...( read more)raphic doses of sex and violence are combined to form a most compelling tale about espionage and revenge. Dutch stage and film actress, Carice van Houten, plays the film's heroine in an unforgettable performance.
  • March 22, 2009
    Late Post:

    Set in a time where Jews were hunted down, Rachel Stein, a singer that comes from a Jewish wealthy family, had to go into hiding in order to survive the holocaust. On her journey, she had suddenly become a spy for the resistance and ended up ...( read more)working closely with the Nazis. If they should ever find out her true identity, she would be taken out instantly.


    Jane Bond near the end of World War II. Thrilling, sexy, addictive, alluring and strangely captivating. A bit long but every scene in the movie made sense and didnt feel like it was stretched or anything of the sort. An instant classic!

    Director: Paul Verhoeven
    Rated R
  • November 8, 2009
    Great movie!
    Definitely one of the best i 've ever seen.
  • October 29, 2009
    Awesome...TOTALLY awesome...This is one well paced and totally captivating performance where a woman playing the heroine moves you in so many emotions that you have GOT to see this. Revenge...is a bitter pill to swallow...but tastes so sweet after it is served! Every woman despi...( read more)te your nationality or language background needs to see what this woman (Carice Van Houten) went through to play both sides of the fence to have both sides turn against her is unbelievable! See this then buy it. You will never forget it.
  • October 28, 2009
    I got this one, and i will see it if i get time. I viewed this movie for a while, there was a nude scene. This movie is so brave to show the scene like that. I don't know, but i feel fine. Maybe the nudity has its own purpose. Of course it is. hehe

    I ever heard about the actors ...( read more)that play in it, but never see them on screen. I hope it'll be a great time to see.
  • October 23, 2009
    The tone is uneven, the running time is a little too long (or the pacing is just off), and things get a little exploitative, but overall, this is not only a well made film that looks great, but a really good movie in general. Verhoeven returns to his roots both cinematically and ...( read more)personally, and I'm glad he did. This film shows how far he's come as a director, and proves that he really is a master filmmaker. Aside from what I've already said, I don't have any complaints. The acting is terrific, the cinematography is wonderful, and the art direction, and costumes are gorgeous. I liked that it was both an espionage film and a Holocaust drama, but again, the balancing of the two is a little off, but not enough to ruin the movie.
  • October 22, 2009
    No es nuevo lo que diré: me cagan las películas de la segunda guerra mundial con algunas excepciones. La Lista Negra es una excepción: también, como las clásicas hollywoodenes, habla de cuán ojetes eran los nazis. Esta película me gustó por alejarse de los clichés tan vistos, (y ...( read more)tan exagerados en Bastardos sin Gloria, por ejemplo) del nazi que grita a la Hitler, es feo y ogete y los judíos siempre buenos, siempre débiles y siempre víctimas. Desde luego que hay nazis malditos y judíos victimizados, pero nos muestra más combinaciones que hacen la historia mucho más real y emocionante. Otra cosa que me gustó fue que el final feliz no viene acompañado del final de la guerra, de modo que los bandos de los aliados y el triángulo no influyen en si triunfa el bien o el mal. La verdad fue una muy buena sorpresa estar al borde de mi asiento y disfrutar esta película, que claro, como buena peli de la 2WW no está excenta de muertes, humillaciones, torturas y demás cosas que no soporto ver pero vale la pena aguantarlas si la historia es buena.

Critic Reviews


September 1, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

A hard-core war film with raw violence, intense action, graphic sexuality and a twisting plot that offers a series of surprises. full review

April 27, 2007
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Black Book doesn't let the grim facts of the Holocaust get in the way of some ripping pulp. full review

April 23, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Black Book is a crackling good melodrama -- inspired, remarkably, by actual events -- with few clearly defined heroes and villains. full review

April 20, 2007
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Stout-hearted celebration of the Dutch Resistance or total smut? Try both. full review

April 13, 2007
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Its essential trashiness too often takes over. Rather than wondering about Rachel/Ellis' dilemma, you find yourself pondering Verhoeven's consistency in setting up bedroom shots so that there's always... full review

April 9, 2007
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

... hugely enjoyable from start to finish. full review

April 9, 2007
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

It's a marvelous movie-movie, with a new screen goddess. Van Houten has a soft, heart-shaped face on top of a body so naturally, ripely beautiful it has its own kind of truth. full review

April 6, 2007
Kurt Loder, MTV

Verhoeven, with his background in such lurid American entertainments as "Basic Instinct" and "Showgirls," seems an unlikely duck to be paddling around in this somber pond. I can believe that the 68-ye... full review

April 2, 2007
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker

Far from turning serious, the director of Basic Instinct has proved that, when it comes to grappling with good and evil, his instincts aren't basic enough. full review

March 7, 2007
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Black Book, the first film Verhoeven has made in the Netherlands in two decades, is spoken in Dutch, German, Hebrew and English, and it lasts for 145 minutes. There's not a dull second in the bunch. full review

View more Black Book (Zwartboek) reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • YLOWBSTARDreturns
    August 20, 2008
    It's a travesty that this film wasn't nominated for Best Foriegn Film at the 2007 oscars, and a friggin' shame that it didn't win in the category.

    But it's a Verhoeven film, so it's not surprising why those pretentious trouser-stains at the academy failed to recognize such a great film.

  • WrellikW
    August 10, 2008
    This is a great movie!

    Take care all,
    William
    Zzzzooooommmmm!

    "It is easy to be brave, from a distance." -American Indian Proverb-
  • zaferpur
    May 15, 2008
    yes this film is great.I liked it..houten is wonderful in her role.I think I was fall in love with her..:)
  • FruityClaudia
    January 29, 2008
    German? You mean Dutch,,
  • FrstKnght21
    September 26, 2007
    I wish I knew Geman. But, over all it was an excellent movie the subtitles helped a little.
  • epeterson25
    September 27, 2006
    Excellent movie, hope it wins the Oscar for 'Best Foreign Movie'.
    It's not the typical german-jewish war movie. It's set in Holland and has many different twists, not predictable from the beginning...not the same storyline as always....
    Drama, Suspense, Action, Glamour, great acting, great production and direction from Paul Verhoeven...it has it all!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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