Directed by:
Joe PennaCinematography:
Tómas Örn TómassonComposer:
Joseph TrapaneseVOD (3)
Plots(1)
Full of shock turns, moments of horrific injury, polar bear action and tense emotional scenes, Arctic will keep your hands clenched to your chair until its brilliant, breathless conclusion. Mads Mikkelsen gives a tour de force performance as a pilot whose plane has crashed in a remote corner of the Arctic. Stranded in the wilderness he uses his ingenuity to survive. When about to receive his long-awaited rescue, an explosive accident means his opportunity is lost and the dire situation further complicated. The tragic turn of events, involving another crash survivor forces the pilot to make a perilous choice between the relative safety of his camp and a deadly trek into the unknown. (Signature Entertainment)
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Reviews (13)
After a slow start, Arctic takes on a more dramatic character due to the hopelessness of the situation
depicted, without resorting to thriller clichés, while retaining the parameters of a minimalist,
believable survival drama worthy of the participation of my current favorite European actor. But
don’t expect anything revolutionary, such as Boyle’s 127 Hours. [Cannes]
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Arctic is pure Mads Mikkelsen brilliance—raw and intense from the very first minute. The stunning shots of endless, snow-covered Icelandic landscapes and the grueling conditions that must've come with filming make it clear that Mads is an absolute beast. This is a survival film that stands out; 97 minutes of gripping tension with almost zero dialogue, just pure willpower and endurance. You don't come across a survival story like this every day.
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I didn't realize what I was getting myself into until the moment that endless white landscape spread out before me. This couldn't be more monotonous, I thought. But after a few minutes, when I was wondering whether this role of his was outright stupidity, Mads decided not to leave it at that and started fighting with the snow. And suddenly I forgot that there's nothing around, suddenly I was rooting for him and living through every move he made. I wouldn't take that on with an average actor. I'd do it again with Mads. A strong 3 stars.
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A powerful survival drama about human tenacity, determination and strength to survive at all costs, dominated by Mikkelsen with his top performance and a screenplay that is able to take full advantage of the seemingly hopeless situation, the bleakness of the Arctic environment and economical props. The consistently escalating tension and gradual tightening of the conditions that the heroically capable, persistent and good protagonist has to face in all respects capture your attention from beginning to end, even though the film finds itself on the verge of unbelief a few times.
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A melancholic journey undertaken by two castaways across a snowbound continent. Everything relies entirely on Mikelsen, who drags the movie along as doggedly as he does the sledge. This movie about a man pitted against nature, which cheats whenever it can, is bleak, but it has surprises in store. Unfortunately the directing has no surprises, which is a bit of a shame. Penna takes no chances and leaves everything to one excellent Danish actor and Icelandic exteriors. It’ll be alright.
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