Ferry 2 (2024) Review: A Retired Kingpin Gets Dragged Back

This Ferry 2 review starts with a simple question: can a fallen crime boss stay retired? Wannes Destoop's 2024 sequel puts Ferry Bouman back in the spotlight, and the answer arrives fast. It is a lean, 94-minute Dutch-language crime film that knows exactly what it wants to be.

Ferry 2 Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Ferry 2 plot picks up after Ferry Bouman has lost his drug empire. He has built a calmer existence away from the criminal underworld of Brabant, and for a while it seems to hold. Then his past catches up with him, and the quiet life comes under pressure.

The setup is familiar territory for the crime genre: the reluctant return, the old enemies, the debts that never expire. The script, written by Tibbe van Hoof and Geerard Van de Walle, keeps things moving rather than lingering on backstory. Newcomers can follow along, though fans of the first film will get more from the character history.

What Works in Ferry 2

The film's biggest strength is its pace. At 94 minutes, it has little time for filler, and the action beats arrive regularly enough to keep the energy up.

• A strong sense of place. The Brabant setting gives the story a grubby, local flavour that sets it apart from generic crime thrillers.

• A clear central character. Ferry is easy to read: a man who wants out but keeps getting pulled back in.

• Lean storytelling. The plot rarely wastes a scene.

Director Wannes Destoop handles the tone with confidence, balancing dark humour and rough violence. If you enjoy action movie reviews built around gritty, character-led stories, this fits that mould.

Ferry 2 Cast and Performances

The Ferry 2 cast is led by Frank Lammers as Ferry Bouman. Lammers anchors the film with a weary, imposing presence, and he sells the idea of a man who has already lost a lot and has little left to protect.

Aiko Beemsterboer plays Jezebel van Kamp, while Tobias Kersloot (Jeremy), Marouane Meftah (Steve), Hamza Othman (Dino) and Huub Smit (Dennis de Vries) fill out the criminal circle around Ferry. The ensemble gives the underworld a lived-in feel, even when the script gives some of them limited room.

Where Ferry 2 Stumbles

The story is not especially surprising. The retired-criminal-pulled-back-in formula is well worn, and anyone who has seen a few crime movie reviews worth of similar films will spot the beats coming.

Some supporting characters also feel thinly sketched. With so many players in Ferry's orbit, a few exist mainly to fill a role in the plot rather than to feel like real people. The brisk runtime helps, but it also means emotional moments sometimes get less space than they deserve.

Audience reception has been lukewarm to decent, with a 6/10 score on TMDB from 136 votes, which matches the sense of a solid but unremarkable sequel.

Is Ferry 2 Worth Watching?

Yes, Ferry 2 is worth watching if you like Dutch crime stories and a straightforward, no-nonsense pace. It does not reinvent the genre, but it delivers a competent, gritty ride with a commanding lead.

The film is rated R and was released on 19 December 2024. If you want something sharper and more polished in the same mould, our look at The Instigators offers a bigger-budget alternative, though a very different tone. For the Ferry universe, this sequel does what it sets out to do and little more.

Who Will Enjoy Ferry 2

• Fans of the original Ferry who want to see Ferry Bouman again.

• Viewers who enjoy gritty European crime films with action and dark humour.

• Anyone after a short, fast-moving watch that doesn't demand a long commitment.