KIDNAPPING MR HEINEKEN
Director: Daniel Alfredson
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Sam Worthington, Jim Sturgess, Ryan Kwanten, Thomas Cocquerel
Rating: (M)
Two and a half stars (out of five)
The distinct lack of substance is only one inconsistency of many: the most glaring one is the motley crew of actors all speaking in differing accents.
Kidnapping Mr Heineken never delves deep enough into the lives and motivation of any individuals involved.
The brains behind the operation, Cor van Hout (Jim Sturgess), is a young father in a relationship with Willem Holleeder's (Sam Worthington) sister.
Having had a loan application for his construction business declined by the bank, Cor convinces his colleagues to plan one of the most audacious criminal acts committed in The Netherlands.
The talents of Anthony Hopkins (Freddy Heineken) are also wasted: being locked in a soundproof cell for weeks on end doesn't exactly give his character much room to stretch out, but we never get any real sense of his identity or whether anyone actually cares if he is recovered.
The one saving grace is the gradual ratcheting up of the tension as the kidnappers turn on each other Lord of the Flies-style.
Kidnapping Mr Heineken finishes strongly, leaving you to question what happened to the intrigue and urgency in the other 70 minutes.
- Mark Orton
