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2w ago

Netflix’s 'iHostage' Tops Global Charts with Fact-Based Tension

The dramatized retelling of the 2022 Amsterdam Apple Store hostage crisis captivates audiences worldwide, highlighting the psychological and technological dimensions of modern crime.

Police special intervention units and rescue workers are seen as the injured hostage taker is carried into an ambulance in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, where the armed person was holed up in the Apple Store with at least one hostage in an hours-long standoff with scores of police massed outside.
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Overview

  • iHostage, released on Netflix on April 18, 2025, has become the platform's number one film in 80 countries, charting in 92 overall.
  • The film is based on the real 2022 hostage crisis in Amsterdam, where a gunman demanded €200 million in cryptocurrency during a five-hour standoff.
  • Directed by Bobby Boermans, the movie incorporates CCTV and body-camera footage to enhance realism while changing character names and adding original dialogue.
  • The movie's rapid global success underscores the enduring appeal of true-crime thrillers and Netflix's ability to reach a worldwide audience.
  • Critical reception has been mixed, with some praising the film's tension and realism while others question its execution and depth.