This was entertaining. The first season of Undercover was brilliant mostly by Ferry. This is a nice prequel, which I sincerely hope they expand into a spin-off! 2 hours well spent. And Elise Schaap, marry me<3.
82 Reviews
Ferry is the king
markvanwasbeek18 May 2021
'Undercover' prequel that introduces Ferry Bouman
Tweekums13 January 2022
This film is a prequel to Belgian/Dutch crime series 'Undercover'; it shows how season one antagonist went from being an enforcer for an Amsterdam crime boss to being involved in the ecstasy trade. Since this takes place before the series it is no necessary to have seen it first.
Ferry works as enforcer for a crime boss named Ralph Brink. One day a gang attacks the property where Brink's has his money stored. During the robbery Brink's son is shot and seriously wounded. Ferry promises to find those responsible and eliminate them. He identifies one of those involved and tracks him down. This leads to another name; a man staying at a campsite in Belgium; here he meets the woman who viewers of 'Undercover' know will become his wife. He also meets other familiar characters; some for the first time, others he knows well.
I found this to be a solid gangster film. Ferry was a great character in 'Undercover' so it is fun to see how he got to where he was in that series; in particular it was great seeing how he met Danielle and how his involvement with her ultimately introduces him to the possibilities of entering the ecstasy business. The story has the same feel as the series. For me that is a good thing, films that try to be bigger than the series they are based on tend to feel too different. The cast did a solid job; especially Frank Lammers and Elise Schaap as Ferry and Danielle. There is a decent amount of action, and, even though we know certain characters must survive because they are in the series, it is tense at times. There is also a modicum of humour. Overall a solid film; a must see for fans in 'Undercover' and highly recommended for fans of gangster movies.
Ferry works as enforcer for a crime boss named Ralph Brink. One day a gang attacks the property where Brink's has his money stored. During the robbery Brink's son is shot and seriously wounded. Ferry promises to find those responsible and eliminate them. He identifies one of those involved and tracks him down. This leads to another name; a man staying at a campsite in Belgium; here he meets the woman who viewers of 'Undercover' know will become his wife. He also meets other familiar characters; some for the first time, others he knows well.
I found this to be a solid gangster film. Ferry was a great character in 'Undercover' so it is fun to see how he got to where he was in that series; in particular it was great seeing how he met Danielle and how his involvement with her ultimately introduces him to the possibilities of entering the ecstasy business. The story has the same feel as the series. For me that is a good thing, films that try to be bigger than the series they are based on tend to feel too different. The cast did a solid job; especially Frank Lammers and Elise Schaap as Ferry and Danielle. There is a decent amount of action, and, even though we know certain characters must survive because they are in the series, it is tense at times. There is also a modicum of humour. Overall a solid film; a must see for fans in 'Undercover' and highly recommended for fans of gangster movies.
Ferry
danielcereto25 May 2021
Brutal, funny, touching.
halcyonbear15 May 2021
Admittedly this film is probably very much one for the fans of Undercover. If you aren't already familiar with Ferry from that series, you might not be as excited about this film, but if you enjoyed the series you won't feel let down by this movie prequel.
Yes, some major characters from Undercover are missing, but given that this is a prequel set a good few years before season one, it wouldn't make sense for them to be present. Instead Ferry is placed front and centre and we get a great backstory to the events that ultimately led to him being investigated in Undercover.
Chronologically you could watch this before watching Undercover, but I liked the fact that I already knew aspects of Ferry and Dani prior to watching this and Filip's cameo is definitely funnier.
It's brutal in places, as we've come to expect from Undercover, but there are also touching moments and humour too. Frank Lammers imbues a character that could very easily have been a two dimensional monster with a degree of sympathy. If Undercover continues (and I hope it will), we don't know if Ferry will make another appearance, so this is potentially us saying goodbye to him. I'll definitely watch this again.
Yes, some major characters from Undercover are missing, but given that this is a prequel set a good few years before season one, it wouldn't make sense for them to be present. Instead Ferry is placed front and centre and we get a great backstory to the events that ultimately led to him being investigated in Undercover.
Chronologically you could watch this before watching Undercover, but I liked the fact that I already knew aspects of Ferry and Dani prior to watching this and Filip's cameo is definitely funnier.
It's brutal in places, as we've come to expect from Undercover, but there are also touching moments and humour too. Frank Lammers imbues a character that could very easily have been a two dimensional monster with a degree of sympathy. If Undercover continues (and I hope it will), we don't know if Ferry will make another appearance, so this is potentially us saying goodbye to him. I'll definitely watch this again.
Predictable gangster fare, but hits the right notes! [+60%]
arungeorge1325 May 2021
A prequel to the Dutch Netflix series "Undercover" (that I haven't watched), Ferry is an engaging gangster drama that tells a rather predictable story. What happens when Ferry Bouman (with a troubled childhood) returns to his native place to locate a rival gang and finish them off? There are certain formulaic elements at play, but director Cecilia Verheyden and writers Nico Moolenaar and Bart Uytdenhouwen never let viewer attention go astray. We get to know more about Ferry in each scene (I can't recall a scene where he isn't present) - he is definitely a grey-shaded human but we root for him because his heart is in the right place.
This has, of course, everything to do with Daniëlle (a bubbly Elise Schaap), a woman he randomly meets while on the job. There's occasional humour, interesting-yet-familiar narrative beats, and adequate pacing. The cast and the cinematography need to be applauded for pulling it off quite well. Ferry ticks the appropriate boxes as a crime drama with shades of action, with Frank Lammers' tough-guy act leading from the front. As an origin story, Ferry did grab my attention and piqued my curiosity to watch Undercover sometime in the future.
This has, of course, everything to do with Daniëlle (a bubbly Elise Schaap), a woman he randomly meets while on the job. There's occasional humour, interesting-yet-familiar narrative beats, and adequate pacing. The cast and the cinematography need to be applauded for pulling it off quite well. Ferry ticks the appropriate boxes as a crime drama with shades of action, with Frank Lammers' tough-guy act leading from the front. As an origin story, Ferry did grab my attention and piqued my curiosity to watch Undercover sometime in the future.
I wish that I had not watched "Undercover" before watching this.
somf18 May 2021
This film is such a great lead in to the Undercover series. I enjoyed it immensely. Nothing spectacular, just really solid entertainment. I envy those that are introduced to the series via this film. It is perfect as a lead in to the series. Season one of Undercover is terrific.. Season two not so much but still pretty solid.
A nice prequel to the TV show
valleyjohn29 September 2021
This is a prequel to the very good Netflix series
Undercover of which I've just watched the first season and plan on watching season two very soon .
A ruthless Ferry Bouman is sent to his native region of Brabant by his boss Brink to avenge an attack on their gang. When he meets the lovely Danielle and old family feuds resurface, Brabant starts to pierce his steel armour.
Is this any better than the series ? No It's pretty much told in the same way of the show but without the undercover aspect of it and that's why it's not quite as good .
Don't get me wrong , I enjoyed it for what it was . Frank Lammers is great as Ferry and was told to lose some weight for the film as he's obviously a little younger than the Ferry we know .
He's still violent and has very little regard for life but he has that twinkle in his eye that makes not totally hate him .
I'm not sure this would totally work for someone who hasn't seen the show so if you're planning on watching this , at least watch season one , first .
You won't regret it.
A ruthless Ferry Bouman is sent to his native region of Brabant by his boss Brink to avenge an attack on their gang. When he meets the lovely Danielle and old family feuds resurface, Brabant starts to pierce his steel armour.
Is this any better than the series ? No It's pretty much told in the same way of the show but without the undercover aspect of it and that's why it's not quite as good .
Don't get me wrong , I enjoyed it for what it was . Frank Lammers is great as Ferry and was told to lose some weight for the film as he's obviously a little younger than the Ferry we know .
He's still violent and has very little regard for life but he has that twinkle in his eye that makes not totally hate him .
I'm not sure this would totally work for someone who hasn't seen the show so if you're planning on watching this , at least watch season one , first .
You won't regret it.
Really enjoyed it!
dmr14015 May 2021
Great cast, score and writing. Grabbed me from the start and it has everything I hoped for after watching season 1 of Undercover. Finally, after seeing Undercover season 2, this made up for it big time. I hope that they do a follow up of this movie.
Many like Ferry in Amsterdam's underworld
cotta002-318-86511929 October 2022
Having loved in The Netherlands for the last 25 years, I have met characters like Ferry involved in work where you don't really know what they do but know they know people.
A very good realistic portrayal of how the old school Amsterdam mafia works.
The story shows how traumatic childhood experiences can impact their whole life and way of being.
A good well written script and excellent acting made this movie enjoyable to watch.
It shows a side of Holland that not many tourists will see. It takes us from Amsterdam to the province of Brabant in the south of the country where dialect and way of life is different, surprisingly for a small country.
Recommend.
A very good realistic portrayal of how the old school Amsterdam mafia works.
The story shows how traumatic childhood experiences can impact their whole life and way of being.
A good well written script and excellent acting made this movie enjoyable to watch.
It shows a side of Holland that not many tourists will see. It takes us from Amsterdam to the province of Brabant in the south of the country where dialect and way of life is different, surprisingly for a small country.
Recommend.
Great exciting thriller!
hkerkhofs14 May 2021
If you like the Dutch series Undercover, you like this movie for sure. I was hooked from the start, excellent character development and the movie takes you along an easy to follow story. The revelation was not expected, love it! As we say in Brabant: Da is een kei goeie film!
Fun to Watch
kortekaasjoshua14 May 2021
was a bit disappointing
svl-9954317 May 2021
That Ferry would be less visible in part 2 of the series was of course to be expected since an UNDERCOVER cannot go undercover twice with the same criminal. Only when it turned out that the criminal became the general public's favorite, especially in the Netherlands, was that not really useful for the seie. Something that the Belgian products probably did not expect when they wrote season 2. I kind of got the idea that Netflix then hastily created a movie or the character Ferry for all those people who after season 1 thought that the series was about Ferry. The script therefore seemed hastily written and was not nearly as strong as that of the series.
Predictable story
jga99915 May 2021
It is a story about a criminal who meets a girl. This leads to trouble. Frank Lammers plays his character well and his acting lifts up the whole movie. Elise Schaap is less convincing, just smiles naive into the camera too often. Her script is very cliché. The overall storyline is thin and predictable, halfway I guessed already what the catch was and what will happen next. Some call it a thriller on this platform but there is little suspense and no action.
Having said that it is a good film for a casual Friday evening entertainment but do not expect too much. This is a prequel to the series "Undercover" which is a very good and entertaining series to watch. So if this is your intro into the Undercover series than this movie is definately worth it.
Having said that it is a good film for a casual Friday evening entertainment but do not expect too much. This is a prequel to the series "Undercover" which is a very good and entertaining series to watch. So if this is your intro into the Undercover series than this movie is definately worth it.
FERRY'S WHEEL
albertval-6956016 May 2021
Don't expect a thriller. The story is simple and straightforward. If you ask me, Ferry deserves to have his own show, and this prequel to the popular series, Undercover, is entertaining.
Frank Lemmers is consistently good; he doesn't bore.
What this film tells us is that the wheel of fortune, Ferry's wheel, if you may, can change in the blink of an eye.
Frank Lemmers is consistently good; he doesn't bore.
What this film tells us is that the wheel of fortune, Ferry's wheel, if you may, can change in the blink of an eye.
Nice Snack (frietje Jopie)
marcvand17 May 2021
Waited for a long time and got what you hoped for.
It's a great prequel but nothing more. You can see from the script that it was made under time pressure. Story shows little tension and has no plot twists and innumerable mistakes in time (The film plays in 2006) for example you an see a guy with mouth mask in his car.
Only a short prologue shows Ferry's childhood. The rest of the film shows a period less than 1 year as an adult. The writers have made themselves too easy with this choice. But this also has the advantage that there is room for a next sequel: Ferry II: The king of XTC in Noord Brabant.
It's a great prequel but nothing more. You can see from the script that it was made under time pressure. Story shows little tension and has no plot twists and innumerable mistakes in time (The film plays in 2006) for example you an see a guy with mouth mask in his car.
Only a short prologue shows Ferry's childhood. The rest of the film shows a period less than 1 year as an adult. The writers have made themselves too easy with this choice. But this also has the advantage that there is room for a next sequel: Ferry II: The king of XTC in Noord Brabant.
Please bring back Ferry for a FULL season.
refafz16 May 2021
After watching seasons 1 and 2 of Undercover, which was fantastic, I had to watch Ferry. If you know, you know. The most likable bad guy in Europe. I'm legit obsessed now and I really hope Ferry the TV Show is the works. 10/10. Highly recommend.
This is wat we've been waiting for
davidvertelman14 May 2021
Ferry is a legend
rfadam21 June 2021
What can I say, Ferry Bouman is a legend and this gritty, heartwarming tale delves into his past as a goon for an Amsterdam underworld boss. Though this film won't win any awards, it's definitely worth watching if you are a fan of Undercover. I found it entertaining although certain details don't line up completely with what I remember from the show, which I watched a couple weeks ago. I am ready for Ferry Part 2: Rise of the Ecstasy King. Hopefully Netflix will make it happen, as Ferry Bouman is the gangster we never thought we needed at this time.
This movie has it all
gingerglamerlas16 May 2021
Excellent film, good acting, suspense, violence, justice, love, humor, everything. The interaction between the Ferry and the girl is superb, is like the beauty and the beast, she has the power to send the beast to a heavenly a state and is hilarious. So recommended.
What a Pleasant Surprise!
davepasnthru30 May 2021
Watched it on a whim and was a little concerned with the pacing in the beginning but the film really grows and you end up with a smile on your face even though lots of people die in it. The chemistry between Ferry and Danielle is great. Recommended!
One time watchable
m-ramanan23 May 2021
Ok.., not far fom good
Noviomagum15 May 2021
Im not disappointed. That's something new for me with the few dutch movies i've seen in recent years. I wouldn't have watched this if it wasn't for the excellent series Undercover. Frank Lammers is clearly at his best, i wonder though if he can give the same level of performance in other roles. Elise Schaap is a great actress. Elise plays a naive small town girl fom Brabant. Though Elise is not from Brabant, as Danielle in the movie she speaks the accent. That's admirable but as a native Brabander i hear her trying and it's not ..eh..native. Huub Stapel playing a druglord from Amsterdam trying hard to insert an Amsterdam accent wasn't convincing at all. So Eline and Frank made the movie. They connect very well. The story is thin, it is what it is with hardly any full lines let alone a deep conversation. Basically everything is said with a few words. But that's ok, it suits this movie and the characters. Hopefully there will be a next part and maybe, if possible with this story and these characters, a bit more depth and surprise elements,...
Could've been a series
alfieosullivan17 May 2021
Ferry is my favourite character in Undercover & was delighted there was a film. I wasn't disappointed. Its not set that long ago so very plausible to be played by same actor. His (&dannis) story could easily have its own series.
Boring movie with C actors
lucretius-sa15 May 2021
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