Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- bleak
- tense
- reflective
- serious film night
- historical drama viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film absorbing and clear-eyed about the moral compromises of occupation, though some considered its fatalism overly oppressive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Wilfried Wils serves as an auxiliary policeman in German-occupied Antwerp and must navigate collaboration, resistance, and survival.
The protagonist's survival depends on compromises within a system shaped by German occupation and local collaboration.
The story follows auxiliary policeman Wilfried Wils and his immediate circle rather than military leaders or battlefield campaigns.
Antwerp under German occupation is the concrete environment in which Wils's policing duties and survival choices unfold.
Films like WILL, and why
The Lives of Others
shared historical drama framework, moral compromise, and occupation-era ethical ambiguity
The Counterfeiters
shared wartime historical setting, civilian complicity, and intimate psychological tension
Army of Shadows
shared occupation drama, collaboration themes, and bleak moral atmosphere
Son of Saul
shared small-scale wartime storytelling, historical realism, and conflicted protagonists
Movie Details
- Director
- Tim Mielants
- Release Date
- 2023-09-27
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (123)
Cast
- Stef Aerts
- Matteo Simoni
- Annelore Crollet
- Kevin Janssens
- Dirk Roofthooft
- Dimitrij Schaad
- Pierre Bokma
- Karina Smulders
- Linn Vandeborne
- Marc Lauwrys
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is WILL about?
- An auxiliary policeman navigates guilt, collaboration, and survival in German-occupied Antwerp.
- What is WILL like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of WILL as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is WILL violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in WILL as brutal.
- What did critics think of WILL?
- Critics broadly found the film absorbing and clear-eyed about the moral compromises of occupation, though some considered its fatalism overly oppressive.
- Which films are like WILL?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lives of Others, The Counterfeiters, Army of Shadows, and Son of Saul.
- How long is WILL?
- WILL runs 114 minutes.
- Where can I watch WILL?
- In United States, WILL streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
