Godforsaken! (2003)

Such a frustrating disappointment

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Intense movie with a plot that seems inevitable. "Van God Los" (which literally means "detached from God/to secede from God" and not "Godforsaken") is loosely based on the infamous "Bende van Venlo" (Venlo Gang) whose mostly youthful members allegedly committed over 250 crimes in 1993 and 1994.The cold-bloodiness of the murders is acted out very well. It's hard to understand how a 15-year-old privileged dentist's son from the rural Netherlands can commit such crimes. The movie gives a very uncomfortable answer: That there is nothing to understand, that these things just happen because our society is the way it is.In my opinion, the original title speaks volumes about the tone the movie sets and the answers it tries to give. Whereas "Godforsaken" implies that God "left" us alone, perhaps in disappointment, "to secede from God" means deliberately leaving him behind. Unfortunately, I have no information on the writer's intention here. It befits the film to have to think for yourself about what it means to you. The film will definitely get you thinking for a long while after the credits are over.

At first i was drawn in when i heard it was about a gang of teenage killers - based on a true story. The story is quite raw, sometimes a bit shocking. Excellent acting from Egbert Jan Weeber, who plays the lead role of Stan. The movie is quite depressing at times though. Van God Los ( or Godforsaken) is about three teenage boys who begin to kill before for the mafia boss - this is where the "Godfellas" part comes in. I didn't think this movie was mind-blowing or amazing. It was an okay movie ; i thought the acting was great. Some scenes in the film are very violent, and it's shocking to see how out of control they get, especially the character Maikel - in various scenes in the movie - especially near the end ! I thought there would've been a better ending though - it was unpredictable, which is always interesting.

Van God Los, a crime story loosely based on the 'gang of Venlo', has some interesting elements. First off, the acting is rather good, and Gernandt truly shines as 'bad guy'. When having to play a more social character who wishes to become father, the problems arise just there. Keep on type-casting him for the bad guy, he can do that just fine.Secondly, the movie keeps focussed on it's main story and doesn't wander off. This way it's high paced and it's what the movie needed.The other actors convince as well and the story is sad, compelling and tough to watch at the same time. Too bad though the movie isn't wrapped up too nicely, the end scene when Stan wants to die was silly at best.But overall, a decent flick. We've seen worse around these parts of the world. 6/10.

After reading the true crime novell " bende van Venlo" translated the venlo gang. I went to the cinema expecting a sort of gangster flick with a sick twist. Afterwards I can fairly tell that this isnt't the case. The Venlo gang story was just picked as a thin story bottom. What we see here is an social dramatic, but yes sometimes shocking violent movie. The characters should have been given a little more depth, especially because the first quarter is quit slow, my guess is that time could have been uses more usefull. I am being dutch, not a great dutch film lover, although I have to say that exeptions are made (turks fruit, soldaat van oranje, zusje) and especially the recent Lek made a giant leap in the right direction. Problem in in holland is mainly financial, big movie producers are not here. Back to the movie, the Maikel caracter is very well acted by Tygo Gernand and its a shame that non dutch viewers won't be able to spot the hilarious dialect. The Stan caracter although the main caracter is actually wiped of the screen by the above. Angela Schijf playing the girlfriend, is just perfectly casted, and know how her role fits in the movie. The story is about 2 youngsters, who start up a violent lifestyle, and as usual the story ends sadly. The message that I got from it is, non-caring parents beware. Stan growing up without his real dad, with a substitute who doesnt seem to notice him, the girlfriend with a copple of weak parents who should have given the little tramp an ass woopin a long time ago and Maikel who didn't even meet his dad at all. All in all its a very interesting movie which certainly has some great directing moments to it.