Prime Video’s new mystery thriller “Holland” is the streaming service’s best new original movie of 2025 so far. That probably sounds like a gushing compliment, but don’t misunderstand my intentions; it’s as backhanded as praise comes.
“Holland” is yet another original misfire for the Amazon-owned streamer — it’s merely the best of an awful bunch.
I had pretty sizeable expectations before watching this new Prime Video flick. The combination of director Mimi Cave (who helmed 2022’s “Fresh,” which I loved) and the ever-reliable Nicole Kidman had me thinking Prime Video had a hit on its hands. Unfortunately, “Holland” proves to be so much less than the sum of its high-quality parts.
I have an inkling that despite low review scores (it’s currently at a pitiful 37% on Rotten Tomatoes), “Holland” will still lock down the Prime Video No. 1 spot in just a matter of days following its debut (on March 27). But if you’re compiling your weekend watchlist, here’s why this latest Amazon Prime Video original is one you can safely skip.
‘Holland’ is one of the biggest letdowns of 2025
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Perhaps my pre-release faith in “Holland” was a tad misguided. In retrospect, there were warning signs. While its setting of the eponymous tulip-strewn town in the Midwest is unique, the central plot — which sees a housewife (Kidman) convinced her husband (Matthew Macfadyen) is living a double life — is anything but fresh.
To further compound matters, “Holland” then takes zero risks with its already largely cookie-cutter core setup.
The movie’s approach to exploring the darker side of seemingly picturesque suburbia is routine, and the arc of its leading character, Nancy Vandergroot, is equally unoriginal.
Kidman does her best with the limited role, but the material lets her down in key moments. Nancy’s attempts to keep up her polished housewife appearance in the face of her life splintering aren’t gripping, they’re mundane.
It doesn’t help that the mystery at the core of this mystery thriller is so obvious that I actually assumed the big reveal was a fake-out and a second twist would come along very soon. Alas, it never did; instead, “Holland” is perfectly content to walk the most predictable path possible.
Even if you’re unable to guess the twist, the 80 minutes spent getting to that point aren’t likely to engage you much, either. “Holland” is guilty of plenty of padding as it crawls towards its unsatisfying conclusion.
On a more positive note, director Mimi Cave shows an inventive spark. Macfadyen’s Fred Vandergroot has an obsession with a model train set, and Cave creatively constructs a few shots to portray Nancy’s world as part of his miniature town. These scenes last only a few seconds, but they’re a valuable reminder that Cave remains a filmmaker to watch.
If I were being charitable, I’d say that “Holland” is far from the most offensive movie I’ve watched in 2025. It’s significantly better than the likes of “Bank of Dave 2,” “Flight Risk” and “Marching Powder,” which all seem early bets for my worst of 2025 list. However, this is setting the bar just about as low as it will go. “Holland” is another original misfire.
Prime Video really needs a critical hit soon
“Holland” arrives on Prime Video at a time when the streaming service could really do with a win.
To be blunt, Prime Video’s original movie output in 2025 so far has been bad. Unfortunately, with a 37% score on Rotten Tomatoes and numerous scathing write-ups from professional critics, “Holland” is not the high-quality flick I hoped it would be to reverse the current trend.
Prime Video’s other major original efforts this year include “You’re Cordially Invited” (48% on Rotten Tomatoes), “Picture This” (45%), “Tyler Perry’s Duplicity” and “My Fault: London.”
Those final two don’t have enough scores for an RT rating, but both have received a majority of rotten reviews. Although “My Fault: London” has an 87% audience score, so it clearly has at least some fans.
Of course, review scores are not a perfect method for measuring a movie’s success, and the four listed above all went straight to the top of Prime Video’s most-watched list. However, Prime Video is going to want some critical hits to complement its movie library at some point.
In that regard, whether it claims the No. 1 spot or not (and for the record, I believe it will), “Holland” is yet another original movie misfire for Prime Video.
This one stings the most as I had genuinely high expectations based on the trailers and creatives involved. Sadly, instead of a gripping mystery movie, all I got was a paint-by-numbers thriller lacking excitement or any real reason to recommend it beyond Kidman.
If you’re a Prime Video subscriber looking for something new to watch instead of streaming “Holland” I suggest checking out our rundown of the service’s latest movies with at least 90% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Yes, these aren’t original movies and are instead older library titles, but they make for more worthwhile viewing than watching “Holland.”
