Review of Soldier of Orange (1977) by Sebastian H — 18 Oct 2011

As unbelievable as it may seem, it is true: during his Dutch period, Verhoeven had the abilities and the tools to conceive celluloid contributions of the highest class, and Soldaat van Oranje is unarguably his masterpiece. It's a fruitful achievement, an insightful look to the desires, wishes, angsts and ambitions of the intellectual youth during the whole WWII stages and the irreversible turn events take throughout without previous notice: enmities, ironies, friendships, betrayals and forced conditions of action. It does not quite reach the unsurpassed espionage level of Melville or the self-destructive and introspective mastery of a Zulawski, but it's certainly among the greatest European war-related films of the 70s.

99/100.