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Netflix recently released iHostage, a Dutch crime thriller, on April 18, 2025. Bobby Boermans directed the film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Simon de Waal. The film is inspired by the 2022 hostage situation at the Apple Store in Amsterdam, in which a man unwillingly becomes entangled in a life-threatening situation.
However, despite being based on a real-life incident with Netflix backing the project, fans did not seem impressed by the film. A few days after its release, social media was filled with tweets and comments from people sharing their experiences with the film. Here are some of the reactions by fans:
"Netflix's iHostage. No need to say anything it's 0/10. Better to have this as a documentary and not a movie," wrote one user on X.
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Another viewer wrote, "Just finished watching it and came immediately to X to make sure I didn’t miss anything and it was really that bad. Prob worst movie I’ve ever seen."
The views and opinions flowed on social media, and more people shared their thoughts on narrative, story, and acting in the film. One person shared:
"I just finished the movie. It is incredibly bad. That is some of the worst acting I have seen in my life."
"Just watched iHostage on Netflix and it was horrible. I’ve never seen a hostage movie where it was nothing eventful happening, and everybody lived…..? No b**bs went off, nobody shot, it was a horrible movie. A bunch of crying at the end for no reason," shared another.
One viewer made sarcastic remarks about the quality of the film and advised Netflix to have a "Do Not Recommend" button so that people could avoid watching the movie. He wrote:
"Dear Netflix, Please add a “Do Not Recommend” button for movies like #IHostage. Sincerely, everyone who watched it!"
Another user criticized the frequent product placements in the movie, calling the film "a beautiful nonsense." The post read:
"Another nonsense movie I have watched this year is iHostage, a beautiful nonsense. I kept wondering if they were trying to advertise apple products all through the movie."
What is iHostage about?
As per the trailer released on March 20, 2025, the film is based on a real-life hostage situation in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 2022. The incident happened in an Apple store where an armed man fired shots and took the customers and employees hostage.
He demanded a large sum of money, not in fiat currency, but in cryptocurrency. In the film, the armed man, Ammar, demands $200 million. To buy enough time for the police to formulate a plan of action, Chief Negotiator Lynn tries to make a personal connection with Ammar.
The film is available to stream on Netflix exclusively. Here's the official synopsis by the streaming platform:
"When a gunman enters an Apple Store in the heart of Amsterdam, the police face a delicate challenge to resolve the standoff. Inspired by true events."
The film features prominent roles for Soufiane Moussouli, Admir Sehovic, Emmanuel Ohene Boafo, Fockeline Ouwerkerk, Roosmarijn van der Hoek, Robin Boissevain, Marcel Hensema, Loes Haverkort, Louis Talpe, and Eric Corton.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on iHostage and other such films and TV shows on Netflix.
