This film is brilliant. From the very first scene, a man frantically digging ice, without need of spoken explanation it rapidly becomes evident why as the camera shot panning out does the work to provide clarity. That opening sequence is indicative of the top-notch shooting quality of the entire movie.
The man in question, Overgard, is stranded and alone, in the bleakness of the Arctic, attempting against the odds to survive . He is desperate, though alive after a plane crash. A tiny forlorn figure in the white freezing vastness and howling Arctic winds, and doubtless inconspicuous to any searching rescue plane that may happen his way.
Regardless, as the days pass, and keeping his spirits up, Overgard thoughtfully persists in maximising attempts to be rescued and is overjoyed when a helicopter finally spots him. That short-lived joy turns to dismay and consternation when the chopper also crashes. Overgard mounts a rescue mission, only to find a dead pilot and a scarcely alive badly injured woman passenger.
Now his troubles intensify. With scant resources running low, fighting against frostbite and the cold all the while, fish hard to come by, he now has the responsibility for another person's life. What can he do? The distant outside world knows nothing of his crash let alone their remote whereabouts. Their situation is perilous and would take most people down. No heat, no food, almost no medicine, the prospects are indeed bleak. There is no quick fix here. But hey, this Mads Mikkelsen we're talking about! The filming is done in such manner that we can almost 'see' what Mads is thinking at every point. That's incredibly clever, and as actors will tell you, difficult to portray on celluloid. His facial expressions and deeds are worth a thousand words. Such is his quality of acting, Mads gives a masterful performance throughout.
The film is never dull. In fact it zips by. The story is truly gripping and immensely powerful. There is hardly any dialogue but it is unnecessary because the cinematography is utterly spectacular; the camerawork is creative, and direction (by Joe Penna) superb. Despite a few imdb critics' harsh views the film ends cleverly. This imaginative film contains many surprises, and is most definitely worth seeing. Another facet of the film though the onscreen mini-cast comprises just three, the supporting crew number hundreds and hundreds of people as shown by the end credits. They all deserve acknowledgement. 'Arctic' was a privilege to watch.
The man in question, Overgard, is stranded and alone, in the bleakness of the Arctic, attempting against the odds to survive . He is desperate, though alive after a plane crash. A tiny forlorn figure in the white freezing vastness and howling Arctic winds, and doubtless inconspicuous to any searching rescue plane that may happen his way.
Regardless, as the days pass, and keeping his spirits up, Overgard thoughtfully persists in maximising attempts to be rescued and is overjoyed when a helicopter finally spots him. That short-lived joy turns to dismay and consternation when the chopper also crashes. Overgard mounts a rescue mission, only to find a dead pilot and a scarcely alive badly injured woman passenger.
Now his troubles intensify. With scant resources running low, fighting against frostbite and the cold all the while, fish hard to come by, he now has the responsibility for another person's life. What can he do? The distant outside world knows nothing of his crash let alone their remote whereabouts. Their situation is perilous and would take most people down. No heat, no food, almost no medicine, the prospects are indeed bleak. There is no quick fix here. But hey, this Mads Mikkelsen we're talking about! The filming is done in such manner that we can almost 'see' what Mads is thinking at every point. That's incredibly clever, and as actors will tell you, difficult to portray on celluloid. His facial expressions and deeds are worth a thousand words. Such is his quality of acting, Mads gives a masterful performance throughout.
The film is never dull. In fact it zips by. The story is truly gripping and immensely powerful. There is hardly any dialogue but it is unnecessary because the cinematography is utterly spectacular; the camerawork is creative, and direction (by Joe Penna) superb. Despite a few imdb critics' harsh views the film ends cleverly. This imaginative film contains many surprises, and is most definitely worth seeing. Another facet of the film though the onscreen mini-cast comprises just three, the supporting crew number hundreds and hundreds of people as shown by the end credits. They all deserve acknowledgement. 'Arctic' was a privilege to watch.
