ActionHorrorThriller

Amsterdamned

- The danger lies just below the surface

A mysterious diver hiding in Amsterdam's canal system embarks on a rampage of gruesome murders, terrifying city officials and leaving few clues for the city's best detective, who doesn't suspect that both his new girlfriend and twelve-year-old daughter may be closer than he is to finding the killer.

Release Date : 1988-02-11

Language :MandarinEnglishSpanishDutch

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : First Floor Features

Production Country : Netherlands

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Eric Visser

Original Name : Huub Stapel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Laura

Original Name : Monique van de Ven

Gender : Female

Character Name : Vermeer

Original Name : Serge-Henri Valcke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chef

Original Name : Lou Landré

Gender : Male

Character Name : Anneke Visser

Original Name : Tatum Dagelet

Gender : Female

Character Name : Taxi driver

Original Name : Jaap Stobbe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Conductor

Original Name : Bert Haanstra

Gender : Male

Character Name : Potter

Original Name : Tanneke Hartzuiker

Gender : Female

Character Name : John

Original Name : Wim Zomer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Martin Ruysdael

Original Name : Hidde Maas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Willy

Original Name : Edwin Bakker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prostitute

Original Name : Barbara Martijn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Girl in gumboat

Original Name : Leontine Borsato

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mayor

Original Name : Jules Croiset

Gender : Male

Character Name : Driver

Original Name : Gerard van Essen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chief officer

Original Name : Helmert Woudenberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Skipper

Original Name : Pieter Lutz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Manager diving club

Original Name : Paul van Soest

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tramp

Original Name : Lettie Oosthoek

Gender : Female

Character Name : Medical examiner

Original Name : Roelant Radier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Suspect

Original Name : Hans Dagelet

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy on houseboat

Original Name : Don Duyns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Municipal cleaner

Original Name : Hans Beijer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Maniac

Original Name : Door van Boeckel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Jeroen Bosma

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Freark Smink

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Mira de Vries

Gender : Male

Character Name : Driver

Original Name : Bert Luppes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Salvage soldier

Original Name : Simone Ettekoven

Gender : Male

Character Name : Canal guide

Original Name : Inge Ipenburg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Environmentalist #1

Original Name : Koos van der Knaap

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man on waterbike

Original Name : Simon van Collem

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Revenge on society. Innocent people had to be slaughtered. Amsterdamned is written and directed by Dick Maas (also providing the musical score). It stars Huub Stapel, Monique van de Ven, Serge-Henri Valcke, Hidde Maas, Wim Zomer and Tanneke Hartzuiker. Cinematography is by Marc Felperlaan. Hard-boiled police detective Eric Visser (Stapel) sets out to capture a gruesome serial killer who is terrorizing the canals of Amsterdam - apparently from the water itself... If you was to list the genres this film homages you could be here for some time, while any attempt to pigeon hole it as one specific genre piece is pure folly. The strength in Mass' movie is that it successfully blends a number of filmic strands to great effect, even serving up some deliciously humorous dialogue in amongst the suspense and murderous shenanigans. Working off from a unique standpoint of having a serial killer operating from beneath the waters of Amsterdam's canal system, this gives the pic its own identity. Sure some of the sequences have been tried and tested elsewhere - notably a superb homage to "A Nightmare On Elm Street" - but Maas stitches it together with a thrilling panache that's aided by Felperlaan's atmospherically piercing colour lenses. The characters are neatly etched in a matter of fact way, giving them an earthy and vulnerable realism that's refreshing. While some scenes are suspenseful/frightening because it's left purely to suggestion over blood inducing show and tell. It's a bold choice from Mass not to go overtly Giallo Slasher on his audience, but by choosing to tantalise in the name of keeping the mystery aspect alive proves to be a good decision. There's some truly great scenes to hold attention here. A bloody victim's body literally paraded aboard a sightseeing tourist boat, an extended speedboat pursuit that's fit for a Bond film, and Visser's trawling through Amsterdam's murky underground waterway tunnels is quality horror staging. There's proof positive here that the director knows his genre tropes. Acting is a mixed bag, but there's no faulting Stapel as our main man. He instils Detective Visser with a steely film noir resolve that's most engaging, even, as it happens, looking into the bargain like a future Vincent Cassell. As the main female draw card, Monique van de Ven is sensual without being overt, and she makes a smart accompaniment to Stapel's more rugged edges. Sadly the finale is something of a let down, not so much in the reveal, but in the quickness of it all, it feels rushed and ill thought out, especially given the pic runs at just shy of 2 hours in length. There's also the issue of the heavy synth score, which while a staple of many an 80s production, was even by 1988 feeling very old hat. Personally I kept drifting off into Harold Faltermeyer 's score for "The Running Man", only this was the one note version. Small complaints, though, for this is a very smart and well thought out Dutch thriller. 7.5/10