The Chameleon on the Chain (2021)

Directed by: Steven de Jong | 95 minutes | adventure, family | Actors: Sens Gerritsen, Imme Gerritsen, Lieke van den Akker, Meriyem Manders, Cas Jansen, Vincent Visser, Michiel Kerbosch, Margreet Blanken, Nando Liebregts, Dominique van Vliet, Dominique van Vliet, Steven de Jong, William Spaaij

Two mischievous twin brothers who experience all kinds of adventures in the Frisian countryside with their boat, which they have named The Kameleon because of the colorful color palette. That is what the book series ‘De schippers van De Kameleon’ is all about, which was devised by writer Hotze de Roos in the late 1940s and of which dozens of parts have been published since then. De Roos was inspired by his environment; his native region in Friesland, the stories he heard during his work as a carpenter, the people he knew from the village. For generations, boys and girls have been involved in the adventures of the twins Hielke and Sietse Klinkhamer and their wonderful motorboat, their parents ‘Heit’ and ‘Mem’, constable Zwart, farmhand Gerben and many others. After De Roos’s death in 1991 – by that time he had written sixty books about De Kameleon – his work was continued by other writers. Because despite the nostalgic character, the adventures of Hielke and Sietse Klinkhamer still appeal to the youth. This is evident from the success of the film adaptation ‘De schippers van De Kameleon’ (2003), which earned director Steven de Jong a Golden Film despite not very enthusiastic reviews. The sequel ‘Kameleon 2’ (2005) also drew full houses. De Jong then focused on films such as Snuf the dog and ‘De Hel van ’63’ (2009), but he has never ruled out a new film about the Frisian twins.

And now there is that third Kameleon film: ‘The Chameleon on the chain’ (2021). Because Koen and Jos van der Donk, the Schager twins who played the leading roles in the first two films, are now over thirty, a new twin with acting talent was sought. It was found in Sens and Imme Gerritsen from Utrecht. They share the lead role with Nando Liebregts, an actor with Down syndrome who was put forward by screenwriter Dick van den Heuvel when director De Jong indicated that he was looking for a boy with Down. Van den Heuvel previously worked with Liebregts when he created the theater performance ‘Drs. Down’ made. Nando lives very peacefully on the care farm of Hidde (Syb van de Ploeg, singer of the Frisian band De Kast), together with his good friend Jossie (Lieke van den Akker). But then the local police officer Zwart (Michiel Kerbosch) receives a nightly phone call: no fewer than 28 animals from the care farm have mysteriously died. When he comes to take a look, he finds Nando among the bloodied goats and sheep, with a knife in his hand. Black has no choice but to arrest Nando and put him in jail, much to the incomprehension of Jossie and Hielke and Sietse Klinkhamer, who do everything they can to prove Nando’s innocence.

Meanwhile, even more is happening in the fictional village of Lenten, where the twins live. The village is visited by Suze de Block (Robin van den Heuvel), a lady from the Ministry of Environment and Diesel Affairs who wants to ban all vehicles running on diesel. And quite a few of them drive and sail around in Lenten, including the tractors of farmhand Gerben (Cas Jansen), the company car of butcher Spijkerman (Edo Brunner) and the beloved motorboat of Hielke and Sietse. So now they have to be chained, to the incomprehension of the villagers. Fortunately, ‘Heit’ Klinkhamer (Steven de Jong) has a plan! Gerben not only struggles with the ‘diesel police’, but also with his love for Chantel (Anneieke Bouwers). Because how does he make it clear to her how he feels for her? And why is she hanging out with Jochem (William Spaaij), the ‘fast guy’ type who doesn’t always seem to have pure intentions?

The charm and power of the books about the Klinkhamer twins usually reside in the pranks that Hielke and Sietse play. Unfortunately, the rascality here is limited to a race on the water against boastful Jochem and his buddy. In fact, if we go over the film again, Sens and Imme Gerritsen get very little to do. In fact, they play second fiddle, as other characters such as Nando, Jossie, and Black play more prominent roles than them. Even the boat has to give up this time, although it still gets a few scenes to ‘shine’ in.

From a technical point of view, ‘The Chameleon on the chain’ has little to offer. The subplot surrounding the diesel ban is completely unimaginable and seems to be mainly used by the makers to make a statement and ridicule the environmental movement. Which is of course allowed in their own film, but the way in which that message is designed does not make the film any stronger. With ‘The Chameleon on the chain’ an attempt has been made to give a contemporary twist to the classic stories of Hotze de Roos. Unfortunately, little is left of the charm and nostalgia of the source material. The sympathetic Nando is the only one who is still proudly upright after an hour and a half.