Rent Admiral (2015)

epic - Admiral review by jm

an amazing epic movie of dutch naval history at the height of its power in the 17th century and its battles with the English at sea.

great battle scenes, costumes, direction, its a pity such movies are overlooked in the west by movie watchers because of sub titles.

Rollicking Dutch historical epic - Admiral review by Alphaville

It’s the 17th century and Holland is at war with the dastardly English, who call them cheeseheads and have bigger ships. Charles II (a roguish Charles Dance) can even afford to spend his time cavorting with his topless French mistress. If he does lose a battle he can always call on his French mate Louis XIV to lend a hand (in the war, that is).

The plot is entirely predictable, even though Dutch political in-fighting and the sea battles themselves are sometimes hard to follow. The use of models and matte paintings also shows sometimes, making the fighting less visceral than the battles in the superior South Korean sea epic Roaring Currents.

Nevertheless it’s a gorgeous film to watch, with a palette of warm colours straight out of a Rembrandt painting. Our portly hero’s even a bit Rembrandt-esque himself, although true to historical depictions of the actual Dutch admiral.

As a whole it’s a well-mounted film that’s fascinating to watch, recreating a world we haven’t seen before. Although basically an Errol Flynn-type romp, it has poignant moments and even one gruesome sequence that will have you squirming. Who knew that it was the Dutch who invented the ‘sea soldiers’ called marines? And how often do you get to see an enemy fleet sailing up the Medway to burn Chatham?

Terrific Film! - Admiral review by Dai Bach

A brilliantly made and highly moving film. Great battle scenes and an interesting insight into the political situation in the Netherlands in the mid-17th century. The final scenes involving Admiral Michiel de Ruyter and his family are especially emotional.