Really great and entertaining biopic about the rise and fall of Zillion one of the most famous disco's in the '90 in Antwerp. The life of Frank Verstraeten is so amazing that the real question remains what was real and was was written for this movie adaptation. Great music from the '90 and absolutely terrific performance of Matteo Simoni as Dennis Black Magic. Also Jonas Vermeulen (starting as Frank Verstraeten) has his first major roll and plays an entertaining/crazy Frank. Must-see if you like music from the '90. It's a bit like a flemish Scorsese-film or kind of a Wolf of Wall Street film about disco in these wonderful years (1997-2002). Robin Pront really shows he has the maturity to grow even further and make great & entertaining movies for the crowd.
6 Reviews
We Love the 90s; - Belgian style
Coventry30 November 2022
In the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, where also yours truly hails from, "Zillion" is rapidly becoming much more than just a successful movie. It's a phenomenon! It's been several years since a locally produced film managed to bring so many people to the cinema, and - even more remarkably - so many people from different generations, as well! The film was already playing for almost a full month in cinemas when I went to see it, and the theater was still full. That's extremely exceptional for a Flemish movie.
It's the story of an infamous nightclub that really only existed between 1997 and 2002, so you'd expect it mainly attracts audiences who partied and experimented in this short period, but somehow, it's popular among much younger and much older people as well. And righteously so, I may add, because "Zillion" is a unique and original film full of fascinating characters, throwback 90s moments, awesome Belgian dance music, and recognizable faits-divers.
The best thing about writer/director Robin Pront's ambitious project is the intriguing mixture of facts and fiction. The decadent disco was real, the even more decadent protagonists (like the megalomaniac owner Frank Verstraeten and porn king Dennis Black Magic) were real, and the unimaginably decadent drug/sex parties at the Zillion were real as well. I know it, I was there a couple of times. The storylines connecting everything together, though, are a mix between truthful and made up, but you don't know what is real or not.
One thing's for sure, "Zillion" is the most memorable and entertaining Flemish movie in years. The pacing is non-stop fast, it's darkly comical, representative of everything that went wrong in this country during the 90s, and it has an awesome all-star cast plus an even more awesome soundtrack.
It's the story of an infamous nightclub that really only existed between 1997 and 2002, so you'd expect it mainly attracts audiences who partied and experimented in this short period, but somehow, it's popular among much younger and much older people as well. And righteously so, I may add, because "Zillion" is a unique and original film full of fascinating characters, throwback 90s moments, awesome Belgian dance music, and recognizable faits-divers.
The best thing about writer/director Robin Pront's ambitious project is the intriguing mixture of facts and fiction. The decadent disco was real, the even more decadent protagonists (like the megalomaniac owner Frank Verstraeten and porn king Dennis Black Magic) were real, and the unimaginably decadent drug/sex parties at the Zillion were real as well. I know it, I was there a couple of times. The storylines connecting everything together, though, are a mix between truthful and made up, but you don't know what is real or not.
One thing's for sure, "Zillion" is the most memorable and entertaining Flemish movie in years. The pacing is non-stop fast, it's darkly comical, representative of everything that went wrong in this country during the 90s, and it has an awesome all-star cast plus an even more awesome soundtrack.
Overexcited like his eccentric character!
psychomantisx8 January 2024
After "Les Ardennes" that I liked very much at the time Robin Pront returns with Zillion, the incredible biopic on a nerd who plunges into the world of the night through a success story that will make little echo to those who loved "The wolf of wall street". I don't know the character, I don't know if it's faithful, but the film is really great.
Overexcited and overexcited like his eccentric character, welcome in the Belgium of the 90s, the film is a real blast that takes off at 100 per hour. Difficult to be bored, the characters are a treat, the story is hallucinating and the staging is very nice. The feeling that emerges for me is a real plunge into a world of madness, decadent, immoral, voyeur but so enjoyable.
The actors are very good, the light and the music are excellent, the editing is thundering, a beautiful surprise that certainly looks like a roller coaster and whose inevitable decadence is both tragic and pathetic, a story of friendship and opportunism, filled with characters as endearing as decadent. Like Boogie Night in a little less trash anyway, the trip is as terrible as exciting.
Overexcited and overexcited like his eccentric character, welcome in the Belgium of the 90s, the film is a real blast that takes off at 100 per hour. Difficult to be bored, the characters are a treat, the story is hallucinating and the staging is very nice. The feeling that emerges for me is a real plunge into a world of madness, decadent, immoral, voyeur but so enjoyable.
The actors are very good, the light and the music are excellent, the editing is thundering, a beautiful surprise that certainly looks like a roller coaster and whose inevitable decadence is both tragic and pathetic, a story of friendship and opportunism, filled with characters as endearing as decadent. Like Boogie Night in a little less trash anyway, the trip is as terrible as exciting.
Zillion the movie 90's nightclub in Belgium
olivierdedobbeleer2 November 2022
Good performance by the actors, story is less well written.
There is a lot of fiction and non-fiction in it that makes the viewer doesn't realize what's real or what's made up. . Zillion was a great nightclub in the 90's in Belgium but this didn't compare to the Zillion movie that could do a lot better.
After watching the Zillion movie 90's nightclub you would feel partying but this wasn't the case.
The 90s music was okay but that doesn't make this a great movie.
High expectations not fulfilled for the big crowd.
I'm still a big Zillion fan, like a lot of people in Belgium and beyond.
Enjoy the movie and the Zillion life.
There is a lot of fiction and non-fiction in it that makes the viewer doesn't realize what's real or what's made up. . Zillion was a great nightclub in the 90's in Belgium but this didn't compare to the Zillion movie that could do a lot better.
After watching the Zillion movie 90's nightclub you would feel partying but this wasn't the case.
The 90s music was okay but that doesn't make this a great movie.
High expectations not fulfilled for the big crowd.
I'm still a big Zillion fan, like a lot of people in Belgium and beyond.
Enjoy the movie and the Zillion life.
A Belgian must watch !
TheCultureFreak3 June 2023
Second time watch and still as great as the first time ! Did i have fun ? Hell yeah ! Is it good ? It's great ! Overall a very wellmade Belgian movie based on a true story about the Zillion dancing (1997 - 2002) . Very entertaining ! Cast did such a great job ! Love the score too ! Really can't think of something i didn't like about this movie . This was an instant favorite the first time i watched it and now after a second watch it still is ! Definitely one of the best Belgian movies in a long time . Get some snacks or some pizza , something to drink and you will have a fun time ! I recommend it !
Nostalgia supreme!
tzb-4869015 April 2024
What a movie....because I'm old and lived through these years, it gets to my nostalgia. I did not really frequent the club, but did celebrate one New Year's eve there...and later on, my fraternity ('studentenclub' - more girls than boys haha, but didn't know how to put that in English) had quite some parties there (with women swimming in the tank - luckily we had 2 sisters doing synch swimming competively)). The overall feeling for the scenes inside the club are spot on....back then it was awesome...and the movie portraits that very well - moving stages, light shows, it was awesome.
Acting is perfect imho...of course I never met Frank so I cannot judge...I did encounter Dennis a few times...especially when he got refused from the club I worked back then.
All in all...great movie with great acting...but...do I find this movie great purely because I've been there and watched the glory Zillion was....or because it's a great movie? Bit of both I think....at least the score is AWESOME!!
Edit: Brigitta Callens (Charlotte in the movie) was not the girl to set up stuff like that...Brigitta used to frequent the club I worked in without having Frank spying on her....but then again, what does the floor ppl know what's really going on behind the scenes...
Acting is perfect imho...of course I never met Frank so I cannot judge...I did encounter Dennis a few times...especially when he got refused from the club I worked back then.
All in all...great movie with great acting...but...do I find this movie great purely because I've been there and watched the glory Zillion was....or because it's a great movie? Bit of both I think....at least the score is AWESOME!!
Edit: Brigitta Callens (Charlotte in the movie) was not the girl to set up stuff like that...Brigitta used to frequent the club I worked in without having Frank spying on her....but then again, what does the floor ppl know what's really going on behind the scenes...
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