Year: 1985
Duration: 01:29:10
Directed by: Bobby Eerhart
Actors: Hidde Maas, Jack Monkau, Annick Christiaens
Language: Dutch（English subs）
Country: Netherlands，Belgium
Also known as: Wildschut
Description: Jim and Charlie are two gangsters on the run. They hide in a farm called Stronghold. They terrorize the family that lives there. In the meantime, the police chief finds out there are criminals in the area. He thinks of Stronghold right away, but his first visit doesn’t lead to anything. He keeps coming back, however, which makes stress levels rise.
Two professional gangsters, on the run after they robbed a casino, seek a hideout at the remote farm “Wildschut”. Charlie is heavily wounded and needs to stay in bed, while Jim terrorizes the family. The family have their own problems. Father Deleye, a brutal poacher, has fathered a child on his stepdaughter Lisa, who is living in a fantasy world as a result of this. Hugo, the son on the other hand has his eye on the loot. The local sheriff feels something is wrong and investigates the case…
Review: Stories about gangsters, hostage taking unsuspecting townsfolk in world cinema – a dime a dozen. Highlight of this host of Belgian-Dutch co-production, which received international name “Fortress» («Stronghold») is difficult. Of course, for both countries’ cinema genre (while not cheap) movie – a phenomenon not very typical, so the picture Bobby Eerharta there the audience was to be remembered. But globally «Wildschut» was one little noticed.
It is possible that in vain. Because some claims except not too (to say the least) of the original plot of the film is difficult to produce. Intense action, juicy prescribed script characters, great acting, in accordance with the theory of Stanislavski lets you know about the characters a lot more than is shown on the screen – a connection with the American tradition of European militants acting school was successful. While in some places the seams yet discernible – the events suddenly freeze like a fly in amber, the psychology of the characters is kind of innuendo …
Minor characters in general seem borrowed from some other movies, as if the author had no time to mess around with them, so I just picked up the first available images. So that through the village of Dutch police lurks dashing Texas sheriff, and the commander of a training company built like an army captain of the men of the U.S. National Guard, constantly flashing background of different overseas fighters.
But with the central characters of the situation is much better. They, however, did not shine with originality, but with a personality all of their characters in order. Especially it concerns the family had been taken hostage. Bobby Eerhart with his actors very well without the background and flashbacks, so beloved of modern directors, in colors to show the difficult situation prevailing in the village Vildskhut who captured two fugitives from the police thug.
Father, mother, son, and their adopted daughter with a young child not to fight each other – rather support the armed neutrality. The girl in the family obviously does not feel too comfortable. The more so as the baby it seems to settle down from the powerful father of a family. A stranger among his own, Lisa instinctively drawn to Charlie – a wounded robber who seems softer and kinder merciless outside Jim. So Stockholm syndrome there or nothing, but when between hostage and terrorist tied intimate relationship – no one is surprised. Neither the audience nor the characters of the film.
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