Los diamantes de Amberes: El robo del siglo

As a huge fan of documentaries, I can say that this is my favorite of 2025 and probably in my top ten overall. The story of how these men pulled off a diamond heist from the diamond capital of the world-- in a building that could be described as Belgium's fort Knox-- kept me intrigued from start to finish. I'll spare the details, but suffice to say that this team had to think of everything and took their time doing it. It really kept me on the edge of my seat, as if I was watching a Mission Impossible movie the entire time.

I can't recommend this documentary enough.

I don't think I have ever written a review of a documentary. Having seen many good documentaries, I was interested in watching this one. What a disappointment! It is just a continuous natterring of a cop's voice with some background assumed happening of the heist. Watching this was a total bore and no facts were laid bare other than assumptions. Eventually it comes to a conclusion after 1 and a half hours, but by then I was totally fed-up and sorry I watched it to conclusion.

This series presents a detailed look at a diamond heist. It features interviews with police and robbers, as well as tons of photographs and videos from the case. Overall, it does a great job breaking down the crime, the investigation, and the aftermath.

I didn't know anything about this occurrence before watching but I felt it provided a good picture based on all available evidence.

The only thing I didn't like was the attitude of some of the police who openly admitted they didn't understand how the robbers did certain things which is fine, and obvious. But then based on nothing, they then called the thieves liars when they explained how they did what they did. Basically, policeman came across as unknowledgeable, incompetent, But also extremely confident whatever did happen, the thieves aren't telling the truth...Seem like the lawman was still salty after all these years and just wanted to talk bad about the robbers.

The story of the 2003 diamond theft in Antwerp.

The film consists of interviews with the main convict and the police officers investigating the case. Each tells their own version of the story, and each has a different one. Although it is a documentary, it is very reminiscent of outstanding feature films such as Kurosawa's "Rashomon" from 1950 or Singer's "The Usual Suspects" from 1995.

A very well-made film (though at times overdramatized) about the fact that we will likely never know exactly what happened during the Antwerp robbery.

From the outset, it's unclear whether we're watching a faithful reconstruction of real events or a Blair Witch-style fiction. That ambiguity seems deliberate, and while it unsettles, it also piques curiosity.

The restrained tone in presenting the events is appreciated-it enhances their plausibility. I understand that stories like this require certain narrative and stylistic liberties, and overall, the staging works.

However, as the film progresses, inconsistencies begin to emerge, creating narrative dissonance. By the end, the viewer is likely left with basic, even crucial questions that the director appears to have deliberately avoided. That omission not only weakens the story but leaves the audience with a lingering sense of emptiness.

What initially promised to be a compelling documentary ultimately dissolves into a narrative that doesn't dare to close its own doors. In the end, you're left with a "well... I guess that's it," when you were hoping for something far more impactful.