Set during the Nazi occupation of Antwerp in 1942, Will tells the story of two officers in the local police force who find themselves deeply unsure about where they stand between right and wrong. The Jewish population in Antwerp was being expelled under Nazi control, and the society around them had begun to accept harmful ideas.
The film focuses on Will and Lode, both members of the police, who witnessed how hatred had engulfed the nation. A strong wave of propaganda had swept through the city, making people believe that Jews posed a danger to society.
These dangerous ideologies were planted carefully by Hitler and his strategists, who were able to convince ordinary citizens that the Jewish community was to blame for their problems. The manipulation was so deep that even rational thought was lost.
Myriam’s desperate escape speaks louder than any resistance speech (Photo: Will/Tyler Perry Studios)Those who understand history now can see the danger of such tactics being reused in modern politics. But even in those times, some people did not give in to the lies. Will and Lode were among those few, and they tried to hold on to their sense of justice.
One evening, while accompanying a German military police officer, Will and Lode saw how far the abuse had gone. A Jewish man named Chaim Lizke was targeted, and when he couldn’t hand over any valuables, he and his family were taken away.
His wife Myriam made a desperate attempt to flee with her daughter, but they were quickly caught. The brutality became too much for Will and Lode to bear. They struck back, killing the German officer and hiding his body. The risk was enormous, and they both swore never to speak of it again. They knew the punishment would be death if discovered by the SS.
The Hidden Family and Will’s Secret Efforts
After the incident, Will and Lode became extremely cautious. Will’s own family was worried he might reveal the truth. Lode’s sister Yvette, fiercely protective of her brother, confronted Will and warned him never to betray them. Will assured her he would say nothing.
Will had a connection with a powerful figure named Verschaffel, a man who admired his painting skills. Verschaffel had loaned money to Will’s father and took a liking to Will, offering him a house to focus on his art.
Will used that house to hide the Lizke family. At first, Lode was furious upon learning that Will had a relationship with a known Nazi supporter. But when he found out that Will was actually risking his life to protect Jews, his anger gave way to understanding.
Around this time, Yvette introduced Will to the White Brigade, a resistance group working against Nazi oppression. The group’s leader, a professor, asked Will to use his connections to find out more about upcoming German raids.
Will and Yvette began to grow closer, and their relationship deepened. Although Yvette was emotionally impulsive, her devotion to helping others impressed Will.
How Gregor Learnt the Truth
Right from the beginning, Gregor Schnabel is presented as a threat. As the head of the secret field police, Gregor had a fearsome reputation. Will learnt from Verschaffel that Gregor was someone who had been fed information even before the war began, which is how he had earned his trust.
Gregor had heard good things about Will, and there was already an air of suspicion. At a party attended by Will and Yvette, Will found out that his aunt was romantically involved with Gregor, which only added to his unease.
One brutal night forces a deadly choice that can never be undone (Photo: Will/Tyler Perry Studios)Gregor immediately made it clear that he had his eyes on Will. The situation worsened when Will, after drinking too much, got into an argument and blurted out a remark about dumping someone in the same canal where the German officer had been buried. Gregor, who had been silently watching, picked up on the clue.
Soon after, he confronted Will and murdered the White Brigade’s leader in front of him. Even though Will never admitted directly that he and Lode had killed the officer, his silence led to another officer named Jean being arrested and tortured.
Will was consumed with guilt, blaming himself for what had happened. But he also understood that nothing could be undone, and his only option was to survive.
Yvette’s Fate and the Raids That Followed
Toward the film’s end, Gregor tracked down the Lizke family and executed them in Brussels. He then ordered raids on Jewish homes and warned Will that if he tried anything disloyal again, both he and Lode would be executed.
Shaken, Will returned and informed Yvette and Lode of what had occurred, begging them not to take risks that could cost them their lives. He began to accept that holding onto personal values during such times came with a heavy price.
He urged Lode to put on his uniform, and the two joined the Nazi forces in the raids, although their hearts were torn. Yvette, unable to watch the horrors without taking action, felt helpless. In her grief, she chose to end her life.
Will watched helplessly as she died, the pain of loss adding to the emotional weight he already carried. Will and Lode made it through that day alive. Though they knew that future generations might judge their actions harshly, they also knew that nobody could fully understand the deep moral conflict they had endured.
