Director: Maarten Treurniet
Starring: Rutger Hauer, Reinout Scholten van Aschat, Gijs Naber
Running Time: 127 minutes
Certificate: 15
Extras: Trailer
Dutch thriller 21 DAYS: THE HEINEKEN KIDNAPPING (2011) charts the real-life abduction of lager mogul Freddy Heineken in 1983. Director Maarten Treurniet chooses to tell this story in a semi-fictionalised account, tweaking real-life events and people ever so slightly (probably to avoid a law suit).
Rutger Hauer is a big pull and he doesn’t disappoint. It’s his first Dutch language film in years and he plays millionaire Heineken in an understated and intense way, although the opening half is definitely kidnapper Rem’s story. Rem (Reinout Scholten van Aschat) works in a factory and when he walks in on his brother-in-law and a few of the other lads discussing a plot to kidnap a big name he immediately gets involved, proving himself to the gang with his machinations (it’s his suggestion to go for Heineken).
But despite being given a sympathetic background via a sick dad (this later becomes a plot device and bizarre justification for his crime) Rem is a pretty dislikeable protagonist who’s clearly pumped up by his new role as criminal mastermind and walks with appropriate swagger. He’s the kinda guy who breaks his driving examiner’s nose for failing him and yells quotes from SCARFACE (1983) at passers-by on the streets. Given the task of watching Heineken in his tiny cell, it’s only a matter of time before Rem’s more sadistic tendencies appear. This aspect is one of the more fascinating parts of 21 DAYS, but the film only scrapes the surface of this dynamic because before you know it, the ransom’s sorted, the gang’s on the run and Heineken is freed.
This change of pace and focus is a little jarring. We move from kidnapper’s story to that of the victim. Heineken is furious, traumatised and afraid, and he’s gunning for Rem in particular as the tables are turned and Heineken seeks revenge on his tormentors. Rutger handles this with ease, but something still doesn’t sit quite right with the transition. We also get to see how Heineken ‘wakes up’ to some of the more questionable aspects of his life and sets about changing things for the better.
The final confrontation, when it comes, is oddly underwhelming. It leaves no satisfaction and just touches on some of those darker, more complex issues around Heineken and Rem’s relationship. This real-life kidnapping is undoubtedly good plot fodder, however I was left wondering whether a bit more fictionalisation might have allowed some of the bigger and more disturbing questions to be confronted.
Extras: A short trailer for the main feature
21 DAYS: THE HEINEKEN KIDNAPPING is released March 11th on DVD
