Directed by:
Stijn ConinxCinematography:
Danny ElsenCast:
Jan Decleir, Viviane de Muynck, Mo Bakker, Kes Bakker, Jonas Van Geel, Inge Paulussen, Louis Talpe, Charlotte De Bruyne, Ann Tuts, Lucas van den Eynde (more)Plots(1)
November 9, 1985. A gang carried out a bloody raid on the Delhaize Supermarket in Aalst, Belgium. The so-called Brabant Killers brutally murdered eight innocent people, among whom were Gilbert, Thérèse and Rebecca Van de Steen. Nine-year old David Van de Steen, although critically injured, survived the shooting. His parents and sister were among the final victims of the infamous gang. David was now an orphan and his grandparents took on the heart-wrenching task of trying to give him a new perspective on life and help him build a future. Grandfather Albert fought for over 25 years to bring the killers to justice. To this day, the killers who murdered 28 people between 1982 and 1985 have not been identified. It is the biggest scandal in the history of Belgian justice. (Cinemax)
(more)Reviews (3)
This is a harsh, unflinching, and chilling Belgian drama that recounts the tragedy of a local supermarket shooting in the deep 1980s — a story I knew nothing about. The film is meticulously crafted and told from the perspective of the victims' grandparents. Honestly, I can't fathom how a gang like the Brabant Killers could exist in such a civilized country as Belgium — killing without reason. It's beyond me.
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The film deserves 2 stars for its subject matter. The case is fascinating, and I would like to read a book by an investigative journalist on the topic or at least a comprehensive and well-researched article. Your satisfaction with the film depends on how satisfied you are with the story the film tells and how much attention you pay to the artistic form. Coninx's film wants to be a hybrid of a political thriller and a crime story, but both genres have their own needs, and unfortunately, the director does not meet them. I do not find any added value in his work as a filmmaker. As for aesthetics, film style, and storytelling, none of it has anything to offer me. Moreover, I did not like the casting either, and in some cases, it was downright irritating. Well, someone had to disturb all the one-sided praise. My overall impression is only 40%, and I would prefer to avoid Coninx's work in the future.
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I had no idea about the never-clarified case associated with the murderous attacks of the Nijvel gang, so after watching this film, I am quite shocked that something like this ever happened, let alone in civilized Belgium. Don't Shoot may not be a revelatory film, but its strong story makes it so compelling that the two hours pass by in a flash. In the end, all that remains is a bleak sense of bewilderment at the vast injustice and monstrosity of the whole system. I can't help but mention Jan Decleir, who even more than twenty years since his masterpiece in film Character proves that he still has something to offer as an actor. (75%)
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