entertainment / Wednesday, 27-Aug-2025

Nicole Kidman's New Thriller Movie Is Better Than Its 24% Rotten Tomatoes Score Would Have You Think

Nicole Kidman's new thriller movie now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Holland, has an abysmal 24% audience and critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, but I don't feel it's deserving of a score quite that dismal. Holland's cast of characters stars Kidman as Nancy Vandergroot, a wife and mother who has begun to feel isolated despite the idyllic backdrop of Holland, Michigan, as her hometown. Her situation only becomes all the more complex when she begins to suspect her husband, Fred Vandergroot (Matthew Macfadyen), of cheating on her.

Of course, that isn't entirely fair, as Nancy has also been carrying on with Dave (Gael García Bernal) behind Fred's back. Although the plot initially seems primarily focused on these respective romantic dalliances, the Holland ending reveals that something so much more nefarious is brewing beneath the surface. As is true of most thrillers, the plot unfolds with a series of edge-of-your-seat moments and shocking twists; however, compared to other thrillers—including Kidman's own—Holland has a remarkably poor score.

Why Holland's Rotten Tomatoes Scores Are So Low

There Are Legitimate Issues With The Movie

Among the complaints raised about Holland are the at times nonsensical plot, the predictable or unoriginal thriller elements, and the writing. Admittedly, many of the issues raised in the reviews of Holland are legitimate. The plot is very difficult to follow, not because it is so nuanced, but because there are threads that simply don't connect. Even so, I stand by the opinion that a 24% score is significantly lower than Holland deserves.

Among the complaints raised about Holland are the at times nonsensical plot, the predictable or unoriginal thriller elements, and the writing.

I was genuinely surprised when I finished watching Holland and saw what the Rotten Tomatoes scores were. The Holland IMDB score is a bit better, currently sitting at 5.0/10, but that still isn't stellar. While I was well aware during my viewing that Holland had its issues, I hadn't expected the scores to skew so heavily negative, particularly because I felt that many elements of the movie did work—though not the ones already mentioned.

Related
Holland's 9 Biggest Plot Holes & Head Scratchers

Prime Video's Holland is a psychological thriller with some twists and big reveals, but these leave a couple of unanswered questions and mysteries.

Holland Has Its Issues, But Nicole Kidman's Performance & The Movie's Tension Are Great

Nicole Kidman's Acting Is As Solid As Ever

Nancy Vandergroot (Nicole Kidman) with a surprised expression in Holland
Nancy Vandergroot (Nicole Kidman) with a surprised expression in Holland 

Image via Prime Video

Holland isn't likely to be considered high on the list of Nicole Kidman's best movies and TV shows any time soon, although I do think she saves the movie enough to earn Holland more than a 24% score. As always, Kidman's acting is both believable and captivating, and, even when I felt a bit confused about the story's direction, Kidman had my attention. Simply for those who love Kidman as an actress, Holland is worth the watch.

In addition to that solid performance by Kidman, the tension in Holland largely works. There were a number of moments when I didn't know what would happen next and was actually holding my breath in suspense. In fact, despite the major plot twist being a bit expected by the time it was revealed, I was still anxious to see how the events played out. It's true that Holland undoubtedly isn't among 2025's best movies, but I nevertheless believe a 24% rating is significantly lower than the movie deserves.

Holland - Poster

Your Rating

Holland
7/10
7.0/10
Release Date
March 27, 2025
Runtime
108 minutes
Director
Mimi Cave
Writers
Andrew Sodroski
Producers
Bart Lipton, Kate Churchill, Nicole Kidman, Per Saari

Cast

See All
  • Headshot Of Nicole Kidman In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's 'A Family Affair'
    Nancy Vandergroot
  • Headshot Of Gael García Bernal
    Gael García Bernal
    Dave Delgado

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