Summary
A tense, tech-tinged hostage thriller with real-world roots that plays it safe.
There probably ought to be a moratorium on film titles using the ‘i’ prefix. But if any story earns a special dispensation, it’s this one—based on the real-life 2022 hostage standoff at an Apple Store in Amsterdam.
Bobby Boermans’ film opens with Bulgarian traveller Ilian (Admir Šehović) arriving in Amsterdam and promptly losing his earbuds. While at the local Apple Store buying a replacement, a gunman (Soufiane Moussouli) storms in, taking Ilian hostage and launching into tense negotiations with the cops. What the gunman doesn’t realise is that several employees and customers are hiding in a closet and on the upper floors—ratcheting up the stakes with every passing minute.
Boermans and writer Simon de Waal, who previously collaborated on TV’s The Golden Hour, waste little time getting to the hostage situation. Once they get there, though, they’ve effectively painted themselves into a corner for the duration. The single-location setup leans heavily on the two-hander between Šehović and Moussouli, but the mystery surrounding the latter’s motivations never really gives us much to work with.
While much of the press around the film emphasises its use of multiple perspectives, iHOSTAGE is really only interested in two. On one side, the slick operations of the police (or coperations, if you prefer) show us who holds the technological high ground. On the other, the gunman makes vague proclamations about being screwed over by the government, with no attempt to dig deeper. Dog Day Afternoon this is not.
Still, there’s a mostly compelling pace at the heart of this real world tale. And while this streaming flick can’t compete with splashier thrillers, the real-life stakes and a few minor dramas with the hidden hostages help keep it engaging for the duration.
iHOSTAGE is a minor outing that feels very much like a movie of the week—though that label could apply to plenty of Netflix’s weekly offerings. Painted with a splash of true-life terror, its safe, sentimental packaging ensures it never strays far from the predictable comfort of streaming filler.
2025 | Netherlands | DIRECTOR: Bobby Boermans | WRITERS: Simon de Waal | CAST: Admir Šehović, Matteo van der Grijn, Soufiane Moussouli, Loes Haverkort, Jasmine Sendar | DISTRIBUTOR: Netflix | RUNNING TIME: 100 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 18 April 2025
