Holland

Holland, is the definition of a surreal, psychedelic ride through mystery and bizarreness. Which I was expecting something just normal. I didn't watch the trailers or anything for this, so I had no idea what I was in for.

It's definitely not one of Nicole Kidmans best, but she does carry it so well for you to stay invested, along with all the other cast as well. The acting is great. The movie starts out pretty slow, a couple of things drag, you don't know what's going on, at some points you're trying to figure out what genre the movie is and then things just really start to unravel and get better. The cracks start to form. Things begin to escalate and come together. The unusual soundtrack, along with its strange cinematography, makes you feel like you're on this "high on life" and trip on acid.

Basically, the movie is a slow burn. It didn't leave me disappointed nor satisfied. It just will leave you in a state of "Okay...what did I just watch??" It's just one of those movies. Think Midsommar blended in with Scream. That's Holland. Not amazing, not bad, but weirdly interesting!

During the first hour everything was normal, but then the story picked up and I was hooked. Exceptional performance by Matthew Macfadyen especially. Love everything he does. An incredible actor.

Nicole was fantastic. I throughly enjoyed the movie.

Went in with low expectation, came out smiling.

I really enjoyed not knowing where the story was taking me. Very light and comedic tones for most of the film and then it takes a sharp turn with horror elements. Needless to say, I had a fun time with this.

One of those films where by the twist at the end, and thereby the conclusion, I said to myself, "Is that really it?"

Nicole Kidman's back - relentless, polished, always just a little haunted. At this point, she's less of an actress and more of a presence. You don't stumble upon her work; it finds you. And when you add Matthew Macfadyen - yes, that Mr. Wamsgams - it starts to feel like a can't-miss setup. Two heavyweights, one glossy thriller, and the promise of a slow unravel.

"Holland" opens strong. A sense of dread humming beneath its surface, the kind of menace that hides behind manicured lawns and calm morning coffees. It echoes "Nightbitch" - Amy Adams's descent into the quiet madness of domestic life - the same themes of women simmering in boredom, choking on the sterile routines they've been sold.

But then it slips.

What could've been sharp and unsettling buckles under the weight of its own ambition. The twist - if you can call it that - lands with a thud. Not clever. Not earned. Just... tired. And what followed, in those last 10, maybe 15 minutes? A mess. The kind that doesn't just spoil the end - it undoes everything that came before.

A wasted potential. And in a story like this, that's the real crime.

I was very excited to see this movie as I am a fan of Nicole Kidman and Garcia and thought the premise sounded very interesting.

The first and second act is rather slow to build up for a rather strange and bizarre third act that unfortunately fails to deliver on its shock twist.

The sad part is this film easily could've been a classic on the level of a Cohen Brothers or David Lynch, but instead it ends with some silly premises that are so far-fetched and a bloody ending that has so many plot holes, you scratch your head almost laughing.

Kudos to Nicole Kidman for taking a chance on this film as always she's trying something different and unique and carries the film with Garcia whose role is rather 2 dimensional but this film had no chance even with a great Director as this horrible script ends up being more like a b movie.

5 stars for actors/ director.

Reading the reviews I wasn't expecting much but Holland was a worthwhile watch for the acting. All three leads did a great job. I was particularly impressed with Matthew Macfadyen who got the accent perfect and was as typically cheery as you'd expect his character to be. As a Michigander I appreciated the local references though the commuter train was comically inaccurate. All the main characters are flawed which makes it an interesting watch from a human nature perspective.

It does end rather upbruptly and the viewer has to make some large assumptions about what happens next.

But the plot is intriguing and it covers ground rarely seen in the world of movie plots, so I'd say it's worth a look.