An “exceptional” drama about secret agents during World War 2 is hailed by fans as full of surprises. Black Book (2006) tells the story of Rachel Stein (played by Carice van Houten) a young Jewish woman in the Netherlands who goes undercover to infiltrate the Nazi’s intelligence network there as part of the Dutch resistance.

Rachel is tasked with getting close to SS officer Ludwig Müntze (played by Sebastian Koch) to gather intelligence, in a mission fraught with constant danger. The film also stars Thom Hoffman and Halina Reijn. The film is fictional but said to have been inspired by real figures and events within the resistance movement. It was co-written and directed by Paul Verhoeven, known for classic action films like RoboCop (1987), Total Recall (1990), and Starship Troopers (1997).

Fans have taken to IMDb to praise the film, with one calling it a “masterpiece”.

“This is definitely one of the best films ever made in Holland,” they added. “Paul Verhoeven has created a real masterpiece. In my opinion, even if you dislike WW2 movies, you really should see Zwartboek, this movie is about so much more than just the war.”

They said van Houten and Koch “are simply great in this movie”. “Without them Paul Verhoeven couldn’t have done this with such a magnitude.

“I’m sure that we will hear more from these two actors in the future, maybe in a Hollywood production? They really deserve it.”

Another added: “This movie has no boring moment, no wasted shot, no wasted line of dialogue. Bit of action too. Just when you thought you figured who double-crossed who, there’s a new surprise.

“The acting is top notch, Carice van Houten is so damn good heroine. Pretty, witty, charismatic, and great in portraying emotions boiling underneath.

“All the other parts are well acted too. I’ve seen this at least 5 times (I love how you can see hints about the plot early on, if you know what to look for), and I don’t usually care for movies that aren’t English spoken to be honest.”

A third said: “This movie is certainly worth watching. It holds a very good atmosphere of the Netherlands during and after 1945. I have seen other movies by Paul Verhoeven, that were great, but I think he and the actors really outdid themselves.”

A fourth called it “exceptional”, describing the film as a: “Stunning, gripping WWII thriller that plays like a pulpier version of Jean-Pierre Melville’s Army of Shadows.”

Black Book is available to buy or rent on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.