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Comparing director Paul Verhoeven’s Dutch films with his Hollywood films is like comparing the work of different directors. His 1973 film, TURKISH DELIGHT, is an underrated masterpiece. His English language films range from violent sci-fi like ROBOCOP and TOTAL RECALL and tawdry sexploitation flicks like BASIC INSTINCT and SHOWGIRLS. For BLACK BOOK, he goes back to Dutch, making a WWII set thriller that captures some of the dramatic power of his early work along with the sexual vibrancy he has become notorious for.

Rachel Stein (Carice van Houten) was a singer before the war broke out. Now she is shuffling from hiding spot to hiding spot across the Netherlands. After surviving several tragedies, Rachel changes her name to Ellis and hooks up with the Dutch resistance, which is organized by businessman Gerben Kuipers (Derek de Lint, DEEP IMPACT) and doctor Hans Akkermans (Thom Hoffman, DOGVILLE). Rachel becomes a dedicated member of the resistance with her willingness to do what must be done, even if that is sleeping with the head of the Gestapo, Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch, THE LIVES OF OTHERS). She even endures working closely with the vile Nazi officer Gunther Franken (Waldemar Kobus), who murders and steals from rich Jews.

Some controversy surrounded this film due to its portrayal of Nazis and resistance fighters. Some Nazis are portrayed as highly competent and nice, while resistance soldiers can be heartless jerks and ill prepared. It’s jolting at times only because we are so use to Nazis as solely monstrous and the resistance as noble, highly resourceful underdogs. Those that find this wrong deny that Nazis, as evil as they were, were also human beings. Likewise, someone being on the side of good doesn’t mean they have to be likeable. These elements bring a great deal of tension and irony, which makes the thriller feel fresh.

Another refreshing element is the star making performance from Carice van Houten. She has a host of Dutch credits going back to 1997, but she could be on the verge of becoming a international star with roles in Tom Cruise’s VALKYRIE and Ridley Scott’s BODY OF LIES. With a powerfully written role, she commands the screen with confidence and undeniable sex appeal. Having been a film on the crux between 2006 and 2007, I believe the film’s lack of a nomination for best foreign language film last year when it was eligible and its early 2007 U.S. release will leave a deserving performance un-nominated at Oscar time.

With slick production values, this dramatic thriller also looks great. It’s wonderful to find a genre film that surprises due to its characters not its plot. Additionally, Verhoeven handles the sexuality with tact, making the material sexy, but also based on story. Having worked on the screenplay on and off for nearly 20 years, Verhoeven has crafted a sultry war thriller that delivers, and represents his best work in decades.