De Oost

There are only two kinds of people. The Dutch pull off a solid war thriller set during the Indonesian War of Independence just after WWII, and it is very well directed and acted, with very good visuals. The film could be divided into two halves. The first is more drama, introducing and developing the characters and outlining the history. I liked the second half more. The main character joins an elite army unit led by a ruthless and cruel captain, whose practices are not to everyone's liking. Once it comes to the ruthless slaughter of villagers, it's quite an unpleasant spectacle that takes yet another unexpected turn at the 20 minute mark, and I have to say I liked the switch to survival mode a lot. It could have been shorter and more action-packed, but it's still a fun affair that fans of history and war movies shouldn't miss. Story 4/5, Action 3/5, Humour 0/5, Violence 4/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 3/5, Emotion 3/5. 7/10. (25.08.2021)

I like how the movie was filmed. It captures the atmosphere of the late 1940s and early 1950s in what is now Indonesia very well, and the filmmakers weren't afraid of drastic shots. The running time seemed terrifying at first, but in the end, I didn't even notice. (06.10.2021)