‘Amsterdam Empire’ (2025) Netflix Series Review - Famke Janssen and Her Mean Girl Energy

Famke Janssen is one of the executive producers of Amsterdam Empire, which is understandable — you can see why the actor gave a little extra push from her side to make the project happen. In Amsterdam Empire, Janssen steps into Betty's shoes and, intentionally or unintentionally, wreaks havoc on everyone. Like a spoiled little princess, she throws tantrums to ruin her husband's life. He is Jack (Jacob Derwig), the owner of The Jackal, a coffee shop empire. He's also a successful cannabis entrepreneur. Everything's just peachy in his personal and professional life until his affair with journalist Marjolein (Elise Schaap) becomes public. Betty, understandably, gets furious with him. She tries to make Jack leave Marjolein, but fails terribly. When Jack finally asks for a divorce, Betty becomes more frustrated, more angry. She decides to take revenge by stealing The Jackal from him. Jack broke her heart; now she will break his.
 

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and Betty turns herself into a living embodiment of this saying. She hatches schemes to damage Jack and Marjolein's reputations (leaking a private video of Marjolein) and attempts to prove her husband incapable of running his business. Betty also gives interviews to as many journalists as possible to speak ill of Jack and Marjolein and to gain sympathy from the public. In one scene, she uses technology as a weapon to infiltrate Jack and Marjolein's house via speakers and TVs. In another scene, Jack and Betty engage in a "dick riding competition" to gain the support of a character (Victor Löw) who can turn the tide in favor of either Jack or Betty. Janssen clearly has a blast playing a vindictive character who doesn't think about consequences before making decisions. It's the kind of role actors enjoy doing, as it gives them the license to be mean and funny.
 

The highlight of the first four episodes that were provided to me for review was watching Betty do catty things. It was all fun and fine, but also lacking. This is why I waited till today to write this review, because I wanted to watch the whole series. I guess I made the right choice because I got to enjoy two good scenes. One takes place inside a courtroom with a character high on LSD, while the other is an action sequence set inside a cabin. And yet, if Amsterdam Empire comes across as little more than a mild, diverting distraction, that's because it doesn't have enough dramatic juice in its body. The primary source of conflict is simply the one between Jack and Betty. Other opportunities for generating tense drama are squandered almost immediately. The most prominent loss has to be the one where Katja (Jade Olieberg) considers backstabbing Jack, her father, to take control of his business. Jack and Katja have spent a lot of time together. He is, in fact, something akin to a role model for her. Katja doesn't only want Jack's approval, but also his love. This is why her actions weigh heavily on her. That sense of betrayal, unfortunately, is not provided with enough space to flourish. The series quickly moves on to the next big event, and this father-daughter perfidiousness just evaporates from the screen.

A series like Amsterdam Empire relieves the viewer of the obligation to invest emotionally in its characters. Since everyone is morally compromised, the question of who wins or loses becomes irrelevant. Still, if you find yourself siding with Jack, it may be out of admiration for his discipline and skill in running his business. He has built everything through effort and determination, and now others are attempting to snatch his "baby" from his hands. Amsterdam Empire, though, is best appreciated as a study in cruelty — the pleasure lies in watching its characters manipulate and wound one another. That cruelty could be rendered more sharply and with greater wit, while the story itself would benefit from a stronger current of tension among its various players. Perhaps these refinements will emerge in the second season. The "jackal," after all, is still active, still on the hunt. Expect more fights, more mind games in the future.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times