Netflix’s latest chart-topper ‘iHostage’ is proof that truth can be stranger than fiction and sometimes, not necessarily better. The thriller, which dramatises a real-life hostage situation that unfolded in Amsterdam in 2022, has stormed to the number one spot globally. It has now become one of the most-watched debuts of 2025 so far with over 1.51 million views in a week.
However, despite the buzz, audiences seem to be torn between fascination and frustration. Spoilers ahead.
The real incident was as shocking as it was surreal: a 27-year-old man, Abdel Rahman Akkad, walked into an Apple Store in broad daylight, strapped with what looked like explosives, armed with a gun and made a peculiar demand of £171 million in Bitcoin and safe passage. The standoff lasted five tense hours and its climax was ripped straight from a scriptwriter’s dreams: a hostage ran out of the store under the pretense of fetching water via a police robot. Akkad gave chase, only to be dramatically run down by a waiting police vehicle.
That moment, faithfully recreated in the film, serves as its wild finale. And yet, iHostage has left viewers divided. It currently holds a limp 5.7 rating on IMDb and a dismal 17% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Some viewers said that the film sacrifices suspense for style, turning a gripping real-world event into a slow-burn slog. Social media reactions haven’t pulled punches either. One viewer tweeted, “Netflix’s iHostage. No need to say anything — 0/10. Better to have this as a documentary and not a movie.” Another quipped, “The only real hostages in this movie were me and my wife waiting for any sort of action.”
Still, the bizarre true story has clearly captured global interest, even if the cinematic treatment feels more like a freeze than a thrill. Whether iHostage deserves its #1 spot or not, it’s safe to say audiences aren’t ready to let Netflix off the hook just yet.