Summary
Mielants offers us nuance and a beyond-surface-level character study while presenting a time in history so horrific many can only bring themselves to examine it in terms of absolute good vs. absolute evil.
Directed by Tim Mielants, Will is a Netflix adaptation of the novel of the same name by Jeroen Olyslaegers. Netflix’s first major European release this year, the film had a limited theatrical release before making its way to the streaming platform. Set in Antwerp during Nazi occupation, the movie follows its titular character as he’s trying to survive during increasingly dangerous times. The film’s cast includes several well-known Belgian actors, including Stef Aerts, Jan Bijvoet, Annelore Crollet, Matteo Simoni, and Kevin Janssens.
Will begins with a poignant voiceover by the titular character, who points out how easy it is for people to judge history after the facts without knowing how those involved in the events felt. His words can apply to contemporary times as much as they do to the age in which the movie is set.
It’s 1942 in Nazi-occupied Antwerp, Belgium when Wilfried Wils starts a new job as an auxiliary police officer. On the recruit’s first day, their superior explains that if they want to survive, all they must do is stand aside and not interfere with the way the Nazis are running things.
Things get complicated when a Nazi officer known as a Feldgendarm requests assistance from Wil and his partner, Lode, to arrest a Jewish family. The two men intervene and try to help the young mother and her daughter. One thing leads to another, and Lode accidentally kills the Nazi.
Unsurprisingly, the two police recruits grapple with trusting each other, especially after Wil confides about the incident to an antisemitic friend of his father’s.
Over time, Wil semi-joins the Resistance group and starts a relationship with Lode’s sister, Yvette. Wil must find a way to survive this dangerous world while keeping the details of the “crime” a secret and without compromising his values. But that might not always be possible during such a tumultuous era.
As a filmmaker, Tim Mielants is known for gritty titles like Peaky Blinders and The Terror, so Will is very much in the same vein. The violence is difficult to watch, while the cinematography and aspect ratio almost make the film seem a product of its specific time. The feature doesn’t shy away from showing violence and gory imagery, but it never feels gratuitous.
In terms of performance, Stef Aerts is excellent as the protagonist. He embodies the full range of emotions his character goes through. The film’s standout, however, is Annelore Crolleti in her portrayal of the idealist Yvette. Whenever she appears on screen, she demands the viewer’s full attention.
Why you need to watch Will
Will is a dark and highly disturbing tale that forces its audience to question their values. As a protagonist, Wil is an everyman who wants to do the right thing. He wants to think of himself as a decent person. But can he keep his conscience clear when his skin is at risk? How far is a person willing to go to save their own lives and the lives of those they love?
The film never gives any definitive answers. It presents the story and its protagonist’s dilemma in a brutally honest and hard-to-watch manner. That’s probably why Wil is so hard to digest.
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