Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- bleak
- tense
- oppressive
- late night thriller viewing
- european cinema night
What critics said
Critics broadly found a tense, darkly atmospheric Belgian crime drama with strong performances, though its conventional plotting limited its impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dave abandons Kenneth during the failed home-jacking, and their reunion after prison becomes the film’s central source of loyalty, resentment, and danger.
Kenneth attempts to reclaim Sylvie while Dave has rebuilt a life connected to her, turning their brotherly tension into intimate competition.
The film begins amid the failed home-jacking before shifting four years forward, delaying the complete emotional and factual context of the incident.
Nightclubs, police pressure, fire, snow, and tense interiors create a cold, oppressive atmosphere around the brothers’ unraveling.
Films like The Ardennes, and why
Bullhead
Belgian crime drama centered on damaged masculinity, family loyalty, and escalating betrayal
The Broken Circle Breakdown
Bleak European crime thriller combining criminal violence with intimate relationship conflict
Animal Kingdom
Gritty brother-centered crime story driven by volatile male relationships and moral collapse
Movie Details
- Director
- Robin Pront
- Release Date
- 2015-10-14
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (206)
Cast
- Jeroen Perceval
- Veerle Baetens
- Kevin Janssens
- Éric Godon
- Jan Bijvoet
- Peter van den Begin
- Sam Louwyck
- Viviane de Muynck
- Rachid El Ghazaoui
- Nico Sturm
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Ardennes about?
- A volatile Flemish crime drama turns a failed home-jacking, a prison release, and a love triangle into a devastating test of brotherly loyalty.
- What is The Ardennes like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Ardennes as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Ardennes violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Ardennes as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Ardennes?
- Critics broadly found a tense, darkly atmospheric Belgian crime drama with strong performances, though its conventional plotting limited its impact.
- Which films are like The Ardennes?
- Films with a similar feel include Bullhead, The Broken Circle Breakdown, and Animal Kingdom.
- How long is The Ardennes?
- The Ardennes runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Ardennes?
- In United States, The Ardennes is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
