BLACK LOTUS
(director: Todor Chapkanov; screenwriter: Tad Daggerhart; cinematographer: Ivan Valsov; editors: Jeffrey De Vore, Bohos Topakhbashian; music: Roel Gommans, Jules Reivers; cast: Rico Verhoeven (Matteo), Frank Grillo (Gabriel Saban), Marie Dompnier (Helene), Peter Franzen (Paul Woodley), Pippi Casey (Angie), Rona-Lee Shimon (Shira), Roland Moller (John), Edon Rizvanolli (Roman), Hristo Dimitrov (Merc leader), Kevin Janssens (Fischer); Runtime: 95; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Marcel de Block, Tom de Mol, Christian Mercuri; Capstone Pictures/Vertical; 2023-USA/Netherlands-in English)
“I disliked it because it was poorly made, the actors were stiff, and the sleazy story was annoying.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The formulaic action/adventure film directed by the Bulgarian filmmaker Todor Chapkanov (“Royal Blossom”/”Valley of Love”) and written by Tad Daggerhart is so out of sorts that to find it believable you might be either brain dead or just have poor taste.
I disliked it because it was poorly made, the actors were stiff, and the sleazy contrived story was annoying.
The 6ft 5in kickboxer Rico Verhoeven made his torturous Dutch acting debut in this lamentable Dutch produced film set in Amsterdam.
It opens in Hamburg, Germany, where a terrorist gang demands a ransom of 300 million dollars from the government to spare the lives of the orchestra of the German National Opera. An elite Special Forces team arrives to confront the mercenary terrorists. When the bad guys shoot a hostage, one of the soldiers, Matteo (Rico Verhoeven), opens fire, disobeying orders to only fire at the signal from his commander John (Roland Moller). As a result, the commander is shot and dies.
Matteo goes off the grid, working in a sawmill in Romania while trying to console his guilt. When ready to return to civilization he unexpectedly visits in Amsterdam his friend’s widow Helene (Marie Dompnier), who remarried a slimy rich banker Paul (Peter Franzen). While being a house guest, he builds a trusting relationship with John’s cute young daughter Angie (Pippi Casey).
Paul is caught stealing money from the bank account of the dangerous local crime boss Gabriel Saban (Frank Grillo), who is part of a global organization. When he fouls up restoring his money, Angie is kidnapped and threatened with being trafficked. Matteo figures out Angie was kidnapped because of Paul and with help from the martial arts lady Interpol agent (Rona-Lee Shimon), rescues Angie and kills everyone in the gang. All the bad guys pay in the end for their foul deeds, which should please the gullible viewer.
REVIEWED ON 8/16/2024 GRADE: C-
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