The Takeover (I) (2022) User Reviews

A somewhat clichéd hacker thriller... fun enough if you can suspend your disbelief

[Tweekums · 6/10 · 18 December 2022]

This Dutch cyber-thriller is centred on Mel Bandison; an ethical hacker who has been employed to check the software on a new driverless bus system. She discovers it has been compromised and her work to correct this upsets some very dangerous people. Soon she has been framed for a murder and is on the run from both the police and criminals. If she is to clear her name and find safety she will have to work with other hackers to find the evidence that proves she was framed.

If you've seen just about any other movie featuring hackers you'll spot plenty of genre clichés here. Whether or not you can enjoy the film depends on whether you can suspend your disbelief and ignore the more far-fetched moments for ninety minutes or not. I enjoyed much of the film and thought the tension ramped up nicely towards the end. There isn't much violence and if it weren't for the excessive swearing this would not be unsuitable for younger viewers. The acting is decent enough; Holly Mae Brood is solid in the lead role. Overall I'd say this is far from a must see but it passes the time well enough if you are nostalgic for the hacker films of the '90s.

These comments are based on watching the film in Dutch with English subtitles.

Disappointing and childish

[hugogsxr · 4/10 · 6 November 2022]

Since it was a Dutch movie newly released on Netflix we were curious to see this movie. But it turned out to be disappointing. The storyline is straight out of fairytale and has nothing to do with reality and therefore makes it totally unbelievable. Acting is mediocre at best and there is a lot of running and saying "f#@k" all the time.

It makes the movie one dimensional and more like a (bad) cartoon.

Sadly this movie fits in a long row of Netflix productions we're quantity trumps quality.

To end with a positive note: the city of Rotterdam gets a great promotion with all its highlights, so if this movie inspires you with inspiration to vist this citty something good came out of this production.

Take over by the numbers

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 16 November 2022]

No pun intended - also numbers not taking over ... I think. But my impossible to follow train of thoughts aside, the movie is quite easy to follow. Actually so easy that some got bored (I see you and I totally understand) - this is not really a movie that will have many surprises for most viewers.

If you like thrillers though you may not care too much. European thrillers - now there are way better ones than this one. Still there are some interesting choices in story and characters development. Cliches are being thrown at us, but that is something to be expected. As is the ending and many other things here ... again, do suspend your disbelief and go with the flow ... if you can.

Bad comments, but not THAT bad a movie

[luc1971 · 7/10 · 18 November 2022]

I always find it amusing, when US "critics" write about "realism" in a European production, whereas approx. 75 per cent of Hollywood productions are everything BUT realistic. This goes also time and again and often enough for poor acting and directing.

The pace in this flick from the Netherlands ist OK, the acting maybe average, direction is OK, the storyline could be worse, agreed.

And, so? It's not a Hollywood-blockbuster (whatever THAT is supposed to be) and we do not have the humongous budgets over here to pull a flick like TOP GUN MAVERICK.

Nuthin' personal though, so chill.

Greetings from good 'ole Europe.

Typical Dutch acting

[mark-313-878103 · 1/10 · 2 November 2022]

Good lord is this bad. The acting is painfully forced, the hacking scenes are not even remotely realistic. Like a scrolling terminal that is too quick to read, and the guy is hammering away at a keyboard. I'M HaCKinG!! Ugh so bad.

At one point the protagonist say's she is going to have dinner with "a guy" and her lady friend (Who we never see again) ask's "is it a creep?". The protagonist then shows a mere photo of the guy at which point the lady friend says: "Oh, so not a creep" It is suggested that because the guy is cute, he's not a creep. Good lord...

The tropes, the cliches, It's all just painful to watch. I did it, so you do not have to. Skip this one.

An EU low budget version of Enemy of the state

[Elliot_Ghost · 6/10 · 5 November 2022]

The overall theme and feel (and some direct scenes even) is from enemy of the state. Thats one of my fav movies of all time, and i do enjoy similar movies. But this one was a bit too much :D

The biggest flaw is clearly that it was very easy to predict every scene. The main actress was charming though and the buddy element with the date was a nice extra. Acting wasnt good, but not bad enough to be super distracting either in most cases.

Overall though, it just felt cheap and off in too many ways. The polish and weight wasnt there. 6/10 is generous, but like i said, im a sucker for these type of movies ;)

90 hackes movie is way better than this

[yanaing · 3/10 · 5 November 2022]

90 hackes movie is way better than this.

They name Villain company name as Xiao Min. It's like company name is Mcdonald in states. All the hacking scene are like 80 movies. Some people just bashing on the keyboard and some random text running on the screen.

Police saw the evidence, but they still think it's fake. Her hacker group always wear the same cloths and headphone even tough it's a different day. Never show what's the connection with the bus company and china company.

Too little research on the hacking behavior. They just inspire on Hollywood movie and try to put together in the movie but it's fail.

Daft but I actually enjoyed it

[neil-douglas2010 · 8/10 · 28 January 2023]

Entertaining little Dutch thriller which doesn't outlast it's welcome. Holly Mae Brood plays Mel, a computer hacker who annoys the wrong people. She's framed for a murder she didn't commit and the only person who can help her is Buddy (Frank Lammers). It's all about facial recognition and what can happen when the technology gets in the wrong hands. Mel and her boyfriend Thomas (Geza Weisz) have to get the information that will prove her innocence to the police. She's chased by the murderous Rogers (Lawrence Sheldon) but gets away before the police capture him. It all ends in a runaway driverless bus and Mel and Thomas save the day before the bus crashes. Enjoyable little film, been done before but likeable all the same.

The PG equivilant of let's say "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"

[jordondave-28085 · 7/10 · 19 February 2023]

The Takeover (In Dutch with English subtitles) THRILLER

The intro has an infamous hacker called in to track down the location where the hack was coming from that's been shutting the air force. As it turns out, it was tracked from somebody who lives around the area, to a 16 yr old hacker named, Mel Brandison (Holly Mae Brood) and did it because the war planes were too loud scaring away sea otters. And as a result of that may have eventually led her to a job after the movie jumps 10 years later. She's then called to check the tech on the first self driving autonomous bus in the Netherlands that uses face recognition software. And it is there she is being introduced to the CEO of that comp. Linde Van Erp (Noortje Herlaar). And upon checking the software she sees a problem happening first hand preventing what it was from proceeding- giving whatever it was the middle finger. And it was during then it was tracked to her place of location but this time, it is not the police who were after her but hired gun men. At first she thinks it's because of her environmentalism but as soon as she sees herself being framed for a murder, when her face was plastered over someone else's via "The Running Man", she's forced to use her hacking skills as well help from a friend, Thomas as well as old acquaintances to sought the people or peoples responsible, starting with the head of the firm Mel prevented them from hacking the server of buses, by the name of Rogers (Lawrence Sheldon) from the UK. Exposing the company that sold the software to CEO Linde Van Erp.

Anyone who watches the news, should be aware about the controversy regarding Tik Tok should be the ones to like this film, that our personal data is not always safe that gov'ts like Russia or China have the potential to manipulate our elections and so forth. Therefore, we should be weary for some of these negative reviews could be the Chinese themselves to prevent us from seeing it, I'm just saying.

Did not get past the first 15 minutes

[faasie-52118 · 2/10 · 3 November 2022]

I did not get past the first 15 minutes.

The hacking scenes are probably created by someone with no computer knowledge. Just bashing at a keyboard and text scrolling on a screen. Would be funny if they would have done it on purpose and also have two people bashing at the same keyboard but it was meant to be serious.

She thinks of hacking as if she is flying through some technical fancy graphics.

The police (arrestatieteam) apparently has its guns just lying in the trunk of the car.

A photo of a guy is shown quickly through a webcam to prove he is not a creep

And the rest was also quite bleh so I didn't even try to see if it got any better. The English talking foreigner have a strange accent.

2 Sandra Bullock movies in 1 set in Rotterdam

[aagihakkeri · 4/10 · 14 November 2022]

Combine the plots of the Net and Speed, locate them in modern day Rotterdam and replace originals with worse acting and direction and you'll end up with this movie.

This isn't the worst movie and I did manage to watch all the way through with some dozing off during the last inevitable action scene. To excuse my nodding I'd like to say that at this point the plot no longer makes any sense (if it ever did).

If you belong to the minority group of viewers you'll also notice that the cycling routes the main character makes are quite illogical.

The direction and editing are quite okay and the movie moves forward nicely. The acting is not cringeworthy all the time (at least to a foreign viewer) and there are some actually good scenes here and there.

A Riveting Techno-Thriller

[sufyaanrashid95 · 7/10 · 10 December 2023]

The Take Over (2022) presents a riveting techno-thriller centered around an ethical hacker who finds herself framed for murder after uncovering a privacy scandal. As she becomes a target of both law enforcement and the criminals blackmailing her, the hacker must navigate a treacherous landscape, evading the authorities while striving to uncover the truth and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The plot weaves a compelling tale of suspense, intrigue, and high-stakes cat-and-mouse games, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats throughout. The protagonist's portrayal, brought to life by the talented lead actress, captures the character's resilience and determination as she grapples with the daunting challenges thrust upon her. The supporting cast delivers strong performances, adding depth and tension to the narrative as the protagonist races against time to clear her name and confront the shadowy forces working against her.

Visually striking, The Take Over captivates with its portrayal of the hacker's digital world, seamlessly blending sleek cinematography with a pulsating musical score that heightens the film's tension and urgency.

Director Simon Kinberg adeptly crafts a narrative that delves into the ethical dilemmas inherent in the digital age, skillfully combining elements of suspense, action, and psychological thriller. The film's well-paced storytelling and seamless editing maintain an electrifying momentum, ensuring that viewers are fully immersed in the protagonist's harrowing journey.

In conclusion, The Take Over is a captivating exploration of technology, power, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming odds. With its compelling characters, intense thrills, and a plot teeming with unexpected twists, The Take Over is a must-see for fans of gripping, high-tech thrillers.

enjoyable action flick

[miles-93119 · 7/10 · 9 March 2023]

I've tried so hard lately to find good movies on Netflix or Hulu and most stuff I've seen is just crap, especially nearly all action movies. For The Takeover I thought the plot and story were good, the pace was good, and it stayed interesting from beginning to end. The acting was fine and did not distract. This was an entertaining movie with a great central actress.

The criticisms I'm skimming through are uninteresting to me. I don't care about the authenticity of "the hacking scenes." I was expecting something cringe-worthy but it never came.

It's not winning any Oscars but I found this interesting and entertaining for what it is. As long as you don't come in expecting Mad Max Fury Road you can have a nice 85 minutes. I liked it.

an intense danish action film

[thewalkingpuns · 6/10 · 6 November 2022]

This was a pretty entertaining action movie. Quite a few ive seen on netflix have been a little boring or slow and the action has not been the best. But I felt with this that sure there was not a lot of action but the story was pretty good and the way it was presented was well made. Our main hero is melanie b. She is played by holly mae brood and is played well. Shes a hacker who gets caught up into a mystery after she is framed for a murder she didnt commit along with thomas, played by geza weisz. There are some pretty thought out parts in this film that flowed well and the action was actually good to. Overall a pretty decent netflix action film with some good acting.

Ok "Family-friendly thriller"

[tofikisuli · 8/10 · 6 February 2023]

This thriller was rated age 13+, so we could watch it together with my child. We enjoyed it: Nice having a female protagonist who solved problems independently and together with a team. Also, being able to "look at a book beyond its cover" was a good lesson in this day and age: E.g. We were just as disappointed as she was that her boyfriend-to-be could not cook, but we were as happy to find they could overcome their initial judgementalisms and incompatibility issues, find common ground. Though the details regarding the realities of working with computers, etc. Were obviously unrealistic, this is quite often the case with techie movies anyway, so I wasn't too bothered by that. Lots of running involved, perhaps a bit too much, but I suppose that was needed to maintain the pace of the movie. (I will have to skim through the beginning of the movie again because I want to find out the make of her bike.)

Mediocre "hacker" dystopia

[xabiag · 2/10 · 6 November 2022]

Great show for those feeling nostalgic about "hacker" movies from the 80s where anyone involved had never seen a computer in their life.

For the next one I would appreciate if they could consult experts, or even amateur hackers for portraying a picture that is remotely related to real life scenarios. Please refrain from casting terminals full of lines while "hackers" just smash the keyboard and solve problems in seconds.

Apart from the unrealistic scenes, the acting lives up to the overall expectations on the movie, making the whole experience unbearably predictable.

The only reason why I haven't given this movie 1/10 is because of the scenery recorded on Rotterdam, which will definitely increase tourism.

Hacker action movie from the Netherlands

[paul-allaer · 5/10 · 25 November 2022]

As "The Takeover" (2022 release from the Netherlands; 95 min) opens, we are on a military air base, which is dealing with being hacked and they call in Buddy, the best hacker there ever was in the Netherlands. He figures out quickly where the hacker is located, near the air base. Turns out to be a 16 yo girl. We then go to "10 Years Later" in Rotterdam, where the now 16 yo woman, Mel, works as a security specialist, working against hackers... At this point we are 10 min into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the 2nd feature length from Dutch director Annemarie van de Mond, best known for her frequent TV work. Here she brings what amounts to a straight up hacker action movie, with the lead character, Mel, being framed for a murder she didn't commit. But why is she framed? It's best not to worry about it too much and simply go with the flow. The lead is played by Holly Mae Brood. More importantly, the Buddy character is played by Frank Lammers, possibly the best/most popular Dutch actor around these days (check him out in the fantastic Belgian TV crime drama "Undercover", now 3 seasons under its belt). As for the "action" aspects of "The Takeover": I can't readily recall a movie in which the leads ran as much as in here. Last but not least: the movie is a timely reminder of the ever growing security threat that the Chinese pose in Europe, Africa, and elsewhere, with their never-ending appetite to finance and operate major infrastructure projects, including major ports (like Rotterdam in this film).

"The Takeover" recently started streaming on Netflix, and when Netflix "suggested" it to me based on my viewing habits, I readily took Netflix up on it. If you are in the mood for a stylish hacker action movie (in this case from the Netherlands), I'd readily suggest you check this out. And draw your own conclusion.

STRONG DIRECTION

[gavrilac1962 · 10/10 · 8 November 2022]

Although it could be said that the story is a mixture of other movies (Jason Bourne, The Fugitive, Speed, etc.), this story has very interesting twists. But the most remarkable thing is the efficient direction. The director gives an agile rhythm to the story. There are no excesses of persecutions or bullets. Everything seems to have logic; at least the logic that is expected from an action movie. On the other hand, we must recognize what was achieved with a limited budget. In addition, the protagonist and the actor who plays Buddy are simply excellent. I think she has a superlative career ahead of her in Hollywood or Britain. Very good movie!

Horrible movie

[pittvus · 2/10 · 4 February 2023]

The acting, the storyline, the plot, the lack of the energy between the characters, simply awful.

It was quite an effort to watch it until the end.

What is Thomas character doing in the movie? What is his role?

Police saw the evidence, but they still think it's fake. Her hacker group always wear the same cloths and headphone even tough it's a different day. Never show what's the connection with the bus company and china company.

Too little research on the hacking behavior. They just inspire on Hollywood movie and try to put together in the movie but it's fail.

Please people, don't do it. Pick something else to waste 1.5Hours, anything else is better than this.

Please dont do it again

[fd-93703 · 1/10 · 2 January 2023]

I write this as an software engineer and cybersecurity expert and i can say you this; this movie is just a torture. When i watch this movie i feel like someone is just forces me to had attack. This movie cannot be real. Hackers are not has a type or same look. Hackers dont do stupid thinks like this and hacker dont explain its id. Because if you are a hacker, you are a criminal. Now i am go and try to forget this movie and make some tatoos to my middle finger. Just kidding :) Please dont do it again. Can somebody make some movie or series like Mr. Robot? Why you do something like this when you dont have enough info.

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

[blog-600-386681 · 1/10 · 30 December 2022]

What a waste of time. This movie is made of purest cringe-enium. I felt ashamed of everything and everyone the whole time. The idea / plot / story is sound and reasonable. One COULD have made a great movie out of that. Or you just mess it up completely and put out pure garbage like that. It is unbelievable how someone got the money to make such a movie in the first place. Maybe some investors with too much money didn't read the Fineprint and wanted to invest in a "hacker movie". Needless to say that the "hacking" depicted here has obviously been written by someone who prints out his emails. To put it in a single word: Ridiculous.

HIRE AN ETHICAL HACKER

[conniegatto · 10/10 · 17 April 2024]

Was able to catch my cheating husband red handed with a lady he has been having a love affair with and this was made possible by Fred hacker that I met through a comment posted by Kimberly Jane on Reddit about his good and professional services. I started getting suspicious of my husband since he became too possessive of his phone which wasn't the way he did prior before now. He used to be very carefree when it comes to his phone. But now he's become obsessed and overtly possessive. I knew something was wrong somewhere which was why i did my search for a professional hacker online and contacted the hacker for help so he could penetrate his phone remotely and grant me access to his phones operating system, he got the job done perfectly without my husband knowing about it although it came quite expensive more than i thought of.i was marveled at the atrocities my husband has been committing. Apparently he is a chronic cheat and never really ended things with his ex.. contact him here,hackrontech @gmail com.