When it comes to crime content, Netflix’s library of original shows and movies has some of the best titles streaming today. Among them is the beloved Ferry franchise, which began with the release of the series Undercover before branching into Ferry the 2021 film and Ferry the 2023 limited series. The long-running story has enraptured fans all over the globe with its tantalizing look into the criminal underworld of Amsterdam. Now, an official sequel film has been released in the form of Ferry 2, which seemingly caps off the expansive franchise for the time being.
Whether you’ve been following along since the beginning, or just recently joined the fandom, now might be a good time to parse through the film’s shocking conclusion and see what we can learn about the future of Ferry Bouman. Please be forewarned that the following write-up will contain heavy spoilers for the entirety of the Ferry franchise, including both films and both series’ that have been released up to this point. If you’re worried about having any of these projects spoiled, bookmark this page and return when you’re up to date. For everyone else, let’s throw on our Santa suits, double-check the room for wiretaps and dive right into the narrative and ending of Ferry 2.
What Happens in ‘Ferry 2’?
Unlike previous installments in the franchise, Ferry 2 opens with drug kingpin Ferry Bouman relaxing on the calming, sunny beaches of Costa Blanca, Spain. After the events of Undercover, the gangster has lost everything, including his drug distribution network, his wife Danielle and most of his closest accomplices. Having managed to dodge death, illness and a long-term prison sentence, it seems as though Bouman will live out the rest of his days on the beach. But, much like another famous movie mobster, just when Ferry thought he was out, they pulled him back in.
One day, after donning a Santa Claus suit for some local youths, Ferry returns to his RV home only to find that his great-niece Jezebel has come looking for him. At first, Ferry is elated to see the young woman, previously believing that he’d permanently lost contact with her. As the last living member of his family, Ferry always intended to look out for Jezebel, but he was forced to abandon her when he fled from the police in Amsterdam. This meeting quickly descends into negativity, however, as Jezebel demands a payment of 50,000 euros.
Jezebel’s Journey
As the young woman explains, she and her boyfriend Jer have picked up ecstasy production within Amsterdam, filling in the power vacuum that Ferry left behind. Needless to say, Ferry is shocked to learn this news, especially as Jezebel outlines her stringent manufacturing requirements, which she needs to meet a massive deal with a drug runner named Lex van Dun. This story almost perfectly echoes Ferry’s early days in the drug game, wherein he was required to deliver one million pills per month to a local motorcycle gang. Unlike Ferry’s first deal, however, Jezebel has already hit a major snag, as the police caught wind of her operation before she could even get things off the ground. With no product, raw materials or manufacturing space, Jezebel’s only hope to get business up and running again is by securing a massive loan, hence her demand for so much money.
At first, Ferry categorically refuses to get involved, citing his close call with the law as reason enough to remain in retirement. Still, he takes issue with the thought of a drug lord putting his hands on his niece and ultimately agrees to leave the beauty of Spain behind and help Jezebel kickstart her operation. Once Ferry returns to Amsterdam, however, he quickly learns that van Dun has a nasty reputation in the criminal underworld, and is known for acting erratically, even brutally torturing his foes. To make matters worse, Ferry’s former right-hand man Dennis is working for Lex, after having turned Ferry into the police during the events of Undercover. Ferry learns that Dennis has been something of a father figure to Jezebel since he skipped town and that he was integral to setting up this deal.
Ferry Smells a Rat
As the narrative of Ferry 2 carries on, Bouman quickly becomes wise to the fact that things are not as they seem in this supposed ecstasy deal. At first, he offers to buy Jezebel out of her arrangement with Lex, though the latter ultimately refuses, stating that the deal is out of his hands. Ultimately, it turns out that the deal was never about getting a massive shipment of pills in the first place, and that Dennis and Lex had only conspired to work with Jezebel as a means of drawing Ferry out of hiding. Once they know Ferry is in town, they hire an assassin named Xia to take him out. Lex hopes that killing Ferry will provide him with enough street cred to strengthen his claim as the new kingpin in town, while Dennis still holds a personal grudge against his former boss.
In a shocking twist, we learn that the true reason Dennis flipped and gave Ferry away to the feds is because Ferry murdered Jezebel’s father years earlier. The man, who worked closely with Ferry and Dennis, was suspected of being a mole for the local police, leading Ferry to have him killed, even though he was married into his family. At that point in time, Ferry had become increasingly paranoid and began suspecting deceit from all angles. In truth, Jezebel’s father was a loyal soldier, and his death caused Dennis to fear for his own life, causing him to turn his back on Ferry entirely.
Ferry and Jezebel Strike Back
As stated, Ferry quickly surmised that something was amiss with Dennis and Lex, causing him to put feelers in the streets for any contracts on his own head. Before long, he learns that Xia has been hired to take him out. Having known Xia through his past criminal connections, Ferry gets the drop on her and offers her significantly more cash to double-cross Lex. Meanwhile, Dennis tries to drive a wedge between Ferry and his niece, by telling Jezebel about how her father really died. Much to Dennis’ surprise, Jezebel doesn’t turn on Ferry at all, and instead derides him as a traitor, having been informed of his relationship with the feds. Jezebel stabs Dennis and leaves him for dead, allowing Ferry to put him out of his misery by shooting his former associate.
After dispatching Dennis, Ferry and Jezebel need to take on Lex and his gang, leading to a massive shootout. Xia fights for Ferry in the final act, though she ultimately winds up dying in the process. Ferry is also struck during the firefight, though he manages to hold himself together long enough to corner Lex. As Jezebel mows down droves of Lex’s henchmen, Ferry creates a diversion for her and Jer to escape. As he bleeds out, Ferry pretends to surrender, causing Lex to drop his guard down, just in time for Ferry to whip out a hidden weapon and fatally shoot Lex. In his final moments, Ferry sits on a bench and imagines his beloved wife Danielle sitting beside him, as he feels pleased with himself for saving his niece. Though he may not have been an exemplary father figure, he ultimately managed to pull through for her.
‘Ferry 2’ Ending Explained
Much like the first film in the Ferry franchise, Ferry 2 showcases the title character’s unwavering charisma and luck within the criminal world. Ferry holds so much influence within the drug trade that his enemies are willing to throw six-figure sums away just to draw him out. Lex initiates the plan to bring Ferry back into the fold just to earn more respect from his criminal underlings, though this lack of respect is ultimately the source of his demise. Dennis couldn’t convince Jezebel to turn on her uncle, just as Lex couldn’t convince Xia to go through with the hit, no matter how much money he put forth.
In the end, Ferry’s commitment to family, honor and respect for the organized crime business makes him a leader that everyone can rally behind, no matter how many people he hurts in the process. The one person he could never convince to look the other way on his amoral behavior, however, was his wife, Danielle. Having gone through many ups and downs with her over the years, Ferry could never truly get over his wife leaving him, as evidenced by his daydream about her in his final moments. Ferry may have died at the end of the film, but his shadow will continue to loom large over the European drug trade for decades to come.
What Does the Future Hold for the Franchise?
With Ferry Bouman dead, it seems likely that Ferry 2 will be the final installment in the long-running franchise. By now we’ve seen just about every element of Ferry’s life, from his childhood and early days in the drug game to his eventual downfall and final redemption. While Bouman is out of the game for good, there may still be room for the franchise to expand with Jezebel as the main character. Ferry essentially passed the torch to her in his final days, allowing her to score major ecstasy deals according to a mid-credits scene. Still, it’s unclear whether Jezebel will remain in the criminal underworld for the long haul, or make her money and escape before it’s too late. For now, all we can do as fans is watch and wait.
