Movie Review: Black Out (2014)

black_out_2012_posterThe Hangover Improved..and with Subtitles

four and a half stars

Black Out is a bit like The Hangover, only with more at risk, some subtitles, and way more choreographed fight scenes.

The movie stars Raymond Thiry as Jos Vreeswijk, a retired criminal who wakes up on the morning of his wedding, next to a dead body, with no idea how he got there. He also learns that it is believed he stole 20 kilos of coke and the life of his fiancé might be in serious danger. The characters truly make this movie. Those characters include a gay, former ballet dancer crime lord, and a couple of little black dress wearing thugs. This unique movie is subtitled, so if you’re one of those who hates to read, then you won’t appreciate it.

But it is incredibly clever in that it doesn’t limit itself with being realistic. This is the Netherlands’ answer to the Hangover. Some of the gags are overdone, but still hilarious, including a 5 way Mexican standoff that ends with everyone dead.

It’s a stylish, cleaver movie with a lot of blood. But what really makes it is the cleverness of the characters, which is almost comic bookish, but real enough to not be ridiculous. This is a fun movie with a lot of edge and more than a few lol moments, like when a thug takes a cell phone call from his mom while getting his butt kicked.

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The direction was good and the atmosphere matched the dark crime comedy genre perfectly. It’s an energetic movie and it is filmed so the viewer can enjoy every over the top moment. There was a real sense of menace that was broken with perfect comedic timing.

The Black Out that will make you sit on the edge of your seat in suspense and laugh out loud at the same time. This is a limited release gem that it sure to be a cult hit when distribution reaches the states. This film plays a lot like a Tarantino film, along the lines of Pulp Fiction. Unique characters, quirky scenes, clever monologs and banter make this film more than watchable.

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Of course, the movie is subtitled, but the subtitles are well done and are easy to follow. The dialog translated very well to English unlike many Netherlands imports, where many of the jokes can be lost due to rushed translation.

The actors are likely no one any American audiences have heard of, but they are well known in the Netherlands. With a movie like this to their credit, I think most of them will be gaining a lot more international credit. The characters were over the top, but every single one of them was strangely believable.

Oh, and massive props for a gay bad guy. How often do you really see a gay bad guy?

I really want to see this movie do well, as it was an extremely rare gem. This is no Hangover takeoff. It’s clever, it’s strange and it’s absolutely unforgettable. I will be following this screenwriter and director in the future.

Here is the official trailer sans the subtitles.