Rico Verhoeven’s Dutch-produced acting debut is a slapdash meeting of illogical storylines amid meaningless plot points
This hapless Dutch-produced thriller almost redeems itself with a decent final sequence staged in the neon-doused John Wick style, but it is too little, too late. Gigantic 6ft 5in kickboxer Rico Verhoeven blows his shot at action stardom with a showing of anti-charisma best described as if Lenny from Of Mice and Men had become a special forces operative. And the Amsterdam tourist board – for whom this at least lustrously shot film serves as a long commercial – must hold serious dirt on Frank Grillo for him to have signed up. Even by his snap-your-hand-off-for-a-paycheck standards, he has a binfire on his hands.
Verhoeven plays Matteo, former crack point man for a tactical unit of vague remit, who is licking his wounds after a hostage rescue at the German national opera goes south and his boss is killed.
This hapless Dutch-produced thriller almost redeems itself with a decent final sequence staged in the neon-doused John Wick style, but it is too little, too late. Gigantic 6ft 5in kickboxer Rico Verhoeven blows his shot at action stardom with a showing of anti-charisma best described as if Lenny from Of Mice and Men had become a special forces operative. And the Amsterdam tourist board – for whom this at least lustrously shot film serves as a long commercial – must hold serious dirt on Frank Grillo for him to have signed up. Even by his snap-your-hand-off-for-a-paycheck standards, he has a binfire on his hands.
Verhoeven plays Matteo, former crack point man for a tactical unit of vague remit, who is licking his wounds after a hostage rescue at the German national opera goes south and his boss is killed.
- 6/13/2023
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Rico Verhoeven, Marie Dompnier, Peter Franzén, Frank Grillo, Roland Møller, Rona-Lee Shimon, Pippi Casey, Magnus Samuelsson, Simon Wan | Written by Tad Daggerhart | Directed by Todor Chapkanov
I was set to cover Black Lotus when it was released in the UK a month from now when, to my surprise, a friend announced it was our movie watch for the weekend. It seems it was released over here with pretty much zero publicity, which is never a good sign. But his enthusiasm “It’s got Frank Grillo and a seven-foot Mma fighter!” won me over. And since I was going to be watching it now, I figured I might as well write it up now as well.
Armed men have taken the German National Opera hostage and are demanding a three hundred million ransom. Three hundred million what is never mentioned but be it dollars, euros, or marks, they want three hundred million of them.
I was set to cover Black Lotus when it was released in the UK a month from now when, to my surprise, a friend announced it was our movie watch for the weekend. It seems it was released over here with pretty much zero publicity, which is never a good sign. But his enthusiasm “It’s got Frank Grillo and a seven-foot Mma fighter!” won me over. And since I was going to be watching it now, I figured I might as well write it up now as well.
Armed men have taken the German National Opera hostage and are demanding a three hundred million ransom. Three hundred million what is never mentioned but be it dollars, euros, or marks, they want three hundred million of them.
- 5/24/2023
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
"There's always something to fight for." The Movie Partnership in the UK has revealed an official trailer for an action thriller film titled Black Lotus, made by a Bulgarian filmmaker named Todor Chapkanov. After opening in The Netherlands last month, it will be available to watch on VOD / digital directly in June this summer - it's skipping theaters. From the looks of it, this is yet another direct-to-video quality action bash with a derivative plot and nothing really new to offer anyway. Rico Verhoeven (who's also a famous Dutch kickboxer) stars as an ex-special forces operative who reecntly lost his good friend on a dangerous mission. He returns to Amsterdam, where he wages a one-man war through the streets of the Dutch city to rescue his friend's daughter from the local crime syndicate that takes her. The main cast includes Marie Dompnier, Peter Franzén, Pippi Casey, and action regular Frank Grillo.
- 5/11/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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