Admiral (UK Rating: 15)
Holland isn’t exactly known for its movie industry: take actor Rutger Hauer and director Paul Veerhoven out of the equation and there’s not much left. The Dutch tend to be involved in co-productions with other countries, such as Bullhead (2011), which brought Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts to international attention. However, for once, they have struck out on their own with the story of one of their biggest heroes, 17th Century admiral, Michiel de Ruyter. The film is Admiral and it was released to DVD in the UK on Monday of this week (3rd August).
It’s all set against the backdrop of the political in-fighting of 17th Century Holland, when the republicans have just taken power and the opposition wanted to restore the monarchy. The country is at war with both England and France, and de Ruyter is made admiral of the fleet to secure the Dutch coastline, but civil war is brewing, the monarchists are gaining power, and, despite his efforts to remain neutral, he has to decide where his loyalties lie.
The film feels like one long history lesson – about two hours’ worth, which is a big ask – but the story is unexpectedly interesting, and, for a UK audience, it has the comparative novelty of showing the English as the villains of the piece, not the heroes. De Ruyter’s exploits have enough inherent drama about them, most notably his daring raid up The Medway to attack the English fleet and scupper its flagship, The Royal Charles. It’s a defiant slap in the face, and the way de Ruyter looks on screen has just as much swagger: with his high boots, long hair, leather jerkin, and moustache, he looks like a proper buccaneer.
That feeling of a history lesson is underlined by the battle sequences, which frequently seem like dramatised reconstructions. When the ships are shown en masse from the air, it’s glaringly obvious that they have been created digitally and they look very artificial. It’s only when the camera gets closer to the action that they are more convincing and the scenes are able to portray some of the grim realities of maritime warfare in those days, with shards of wood flying in all directions, yet de Ruyter stands in the middle of it all, completely untouched.
In fact, Director Roel Reine isn’t at home with any large scale scenes because his crowd sequences are equally clumsy. His extras are very unconvincing and there’s one utter howler at a funeral; when the crowd parts for de Ruyter’s wife Anna (Sanne Langlelaar) to come through, one of the extras has a massive grin on his face!
Langlelaar also gives the best performance in the film. Despite looking remarkably young for somebody who’s borne five children in the 17th Century, she gives a strong performance as a woman who is pragmatic, resilient, and strong. It’s the one piece of acting that has any real substance to it. Charles Dance’s King Charles II has nothing new to offer: he’s the arch politician, surrounded by beautiful women, and the inevitable dogs, and, yes, Rutger Hauer does make an appearance, as de Ruyter’s predecessor, which means he doesn’t last long.
