Rundfunk: Jachterwachter

This is a typically Dutch over-the-top, absurd movie. You either love it or hate it. There's no middle ground. We loved it.

Rundfunk: Jachterwachter is an absurdist comedy that proudly and unapologetically marches to the beat of its own drum. The humor is outrageous, cringeworthy and absolutely not for everyone - an intentional choice that defines its charm. This is a film steeped in Dutch and Flemish cultural nuances, making it a likely enigma for audiences unfamiliar with the region's comedic sensibilities.

The film revels in its low-budget aesthetic with every shot underscoring its scrappy and do-it-yourself nature. From deliberately cheap set designs to awkward camera work, the lack of polish isn't just apparent: it's part of the film's appeal. This rawness gives it a uniquely unsettling quality that is simultaneously off-putting and strangely captivating.

The setting is a dystopian wasteland: barren, empty and profoundly depressing. This desolate atmosphere seeps into every scene creating a bleak tone that paradoxically complements the humor. The filmmakers have crafted a world that feels deliberately soulless, amplifying the absurdity of the characters and their actions.

Discussing the acting performances here feels almost irrelevant. The exaggerated and over-the-top portrayals fit seamlessly into the film's absurdist style. Whether the acting is "good" or not is beside the point; it's about whether you can vibe with the bizarre world the film creates.

In the end Rundfunk: Jachterwachter is an out-of-the-box cinematic experience that had me laughing at times while leaving me confused at others. It's memorable for sure, but I'm still not entirely certain whether I liked it. It's weird - both the film and my feelings about it. But in a way, that's its strength.

With a cinematic output that consists mostly of romcoms and WWII movies, I think the Netherlands should welcome any attempt to do something out of the box, and Rundfunk: Jachterwachter does just that. Traditionally, absurdism is an area best cultivated by the Belgians. Of course, we Dutchies have hyperrealistic comedies like New Kids and Flodder where people survive violent car crashes and fire fights, or where they launch gasoline-filled tanks into the Statue of Liberty. And yes, there is always Alex van Warmerdam with his surreal places and characters. But we rarely get comedies in the Netherlands that so brazenly defy the laws of physics, morals and logic as deeply as this one.

Think of some of the whackiest and politically incorrect situations that you've seen on Dutch TV, and this film will take it up a notch. Not only the characters and events are completely out of this world, so is the humor. Jokes about child abuse, animal cruelty, anorexia, pedophilia, homosexuality, bloody violence and several blatant cases of sex-shaming: it's all in there, no one is spared, and no topic is sacred enough to escape the axe of ridicule. Well, perhaps racism, because colored jokes are conspicuously missing. Sign of the times, I guess.

It is probably acquired taste, because I laughed very hard at some of the crudest jokes, but the rest of the theater (mostly millenials) was clearly less convinced about this film's comedic merits. Not that every joke works, by the way. Kids who drink and curse all the time, it's funny for a while but then it gets a little stale. Especially the Biblical jokes fall a bit flat on their face, and could have been much racier. We have a bit of a Dutch tradition when it comes to religious jokes (as a famous Dutch comedian once said: "that which assumes a form of power must be allowed to be ridiculed"), but here, it sadly amounts to little humor.

Not that the actors are to blame for this, as Yannick van de Velde, Tom van Kalmthout and the rest of the cast know exactly how to deliver their dry-witted performances that sells the absurd tomfoolery just great. Also props to director Rob Lücker and cinematographer Joris Kerbosch, for capturing all the zany stuff in beautifully stylized images, making the sun-scorched camping look like a 'polder-version' of There Will Be Blood (yes, I really made that comparison). The cinematography also contains the more subtle visual jokes, such as a TV that looks so old that you can barely believe it ever existed, or a playground that is nearly overgrown.

Most movies that are spin-offs of series usually end up being a longer and bigger budgetted episode of that series, but this one is different. Cast and crew already sharpened their teeth on the TV series Rundfunk (which I definitely want to watch now), but they were bold enough to go into new territory with this spin-off movie, taking it in a very different direction. With its balls-out humor, I throroughy enjoyed this movie, but it certainly isn't for everyone. Still I say: keep up the good work. We need more of this inspired lunacy.

I myself love this movie and know quite some people who do to. I would rate this a ten out of ten but I don't because there are a lot of people that don't like this movie. If you like the comedy, you will love this movie. If you don't like the comedy you probably won't. But next to it being funny for many people ( not everyone) it has beautiful colors, some good effects, great sets and an amazing soundtrack. The acting sure isn't good but it doesn't distract ( for me at least ). It's surreal, it's weird, it's over the top. So if you like that you will probably like this movie. I would say watch it but there is a chance you don't like it.

Sweet absurdism beatifully filmed. If you like absurdism or sweet black humor watch This.