By Lisanne Cheizoo (Editor-in-Chief)
Last summer, some of Middelburg’s streets were suddenly off-limits, and if you looked closely you could see people walking around like they had come straight out of a Rembrandt painting. In the end, all of this turned out to be for the upcoming Dutch movie/biopic Michiel De Ruyter, which was filmed partly in Zeeland, as Michiel originally grew up in Vlissingen. Only half a year after the final scene has been shot, the film has been released to theaters all around the Netherlands.
With a length of little under three hours, a budget of 8 million euros, a grand historic subject, and a star-studded cast (Dutch actors like Barry Atsma and Lieke van Lexmond, but also British actor Charles Dance, also known as Tywin Lannister from Game of Thrones), there were high expectations of Michiel De Ruyter. And although director Roel Reine has probably made the first Dutch epic film, bravely imitating films like Pirates of the Caribbean, and Master & Commander, Michiel De Ruyter proves to be little more than a vague echo of these big Hollywood blockbuster who had bigger casts, and more importantly: a bigger budget. The film seems to be focused on the epic battles, with one battle looking as much as the next one, which makes it difficult to distinguish between them and most importantly: the film misses a climax. There is no final battle, no last stand-off between the Dutch and the English, and this is one of the areas in which the film seems to lack gravity. The filmmakers have also taken liberties with the plot, taking events that covered about 35 years, and pretending like they all happened in the same year. Consequently, the plot feels very rushed and is almost drowning amidst the many sea battles, which has as a result that you do not feel for your characters’ troubles and fears.
However, its lack of climax and proper plot do not diminish the fact that Michiel De Ruyter is the first Dutch film that takes place on such an enormous scale. It is safe to say that the film leaves nothing to the imagination with regard to spectacle and pyrotechnics, and the action scenes were well shot. Moreover, at least half of the film has been filmed in Zeeland. Veere has been transformed into Vlissingen for the film, the English court is set in the Nieuwe Kerk, the Dutch government resides in our own beloved Raadszaal, and one of the most horrible lynch parties in Dutch history takes place on the Abbey square. Zeeland, and most notably Middelburg and Veere, are very prominent in the film and partly make up for the abovementioned shortcomings. If you look very closely, you might actually spot some of our students who have acted in some of the scenes! Another interesting thing about this film is how director Roel Reine incorporates Dutch culture. The first shot of Michiel De Ruyter’s maid closely resembles the famous painting of the milkmaid, by Vermeer. In another part of the film you can spot Rembrandt walking the streets of Amsterdam while carrying a painting.
Overall, Michiel De Ruyter is a decent film. Its grand scale is very impressive, its nods to Dutch culture sophisticated, and there is stellar acting in some scenes. Although it comes nowhere near its epic Hollywood counterparts, it is a Dutch film that will probably gain a place among the classics of our nation. Just bear in mind that you are watching a heavily romanticized action film, and not an accurate depiction of the Netherlands in the 17th century.
Lisanne Cheizoo, class of 2015, is a Linguistics and Literature major, from Uden, the Netherlands
