Arctic

Once in a while, a dramatic movie comes to say "Which celebrity can we leave stranded to fend for their own survival in a dangerous environment?" There have been a handful of these survivor tales whether it's a true story that's being shown as a biopic/documentary or as a dramatized Hollywood feature. However, sometimes there's an entry in this field that stands out from that crowd for the right reasons. This brings us to Arctic, which was the directorial debut of YouTuber Joe Penna (aka MysteryGuitarMan). This came to my attention after I saw one trailer for it and I was even more intrigued when I learned that it was another film directed by a YouTuber (insert flashback to my experience with Eighth Grade from Bo Burnham). It was shot in Iceland over the course of 19 days and competed at the Cannes Film Festival last year. Having learned that had its theatrical release in early February and not many people seem to be talking about it, I entered the auditorium ready to see if I can find some solid quality and left it very impressed by what was accomplished with the resources at hand.

What's it about? The story follows a man stranded in the Arctic whose rescue opportunity gets squandered by the environment, leaving only an injured pilot and a scraps from the helicopter. The best way to describe this would be an excellent example of visual storytelling. Nothing is verbally shoved down the audiences throat but rather displayed through the main protagonists actions to imply what's going on. There aren't any classic "how did he end up here" flashbacks as it just begins with our lone protagonist doing his normal routine. The passage of time is something to pay attention to as there are different means being used as times to show the length of days passed. The hazards of the cold Arctic aren't sugarcoated as they feel more realistic and harsh enough to fill the runtime appropriately. The only minor drawbacks here would be some pacing issues and one or two obstacles feeling more like filler or unnecessary to pad the runtime.

How's Mads Mikkelson? As the main protagonist we're paying attention to, Mads gives an excellent performance in displaying what his character is going through in this experience, both physically and mentally. The actor has mentioned that this was the most difficult shoot of his career and it's easy to see why in his roughed up appearance. The way he interacts with elements his character can control versus dealing with unexpected obstacles in her exhausting journey later is filled with the tension his acting commands. The emotional pain and frustration he endures with both his non-verbal motions and limited dialogue adds fascinating weight to this role that it shouldn't be underestimated.

Overall Consensus: Arctic is great survival tale that's carried by the quality of its visual storytelling, excellent main performance, and unforgiving nature of its environment. ⭑⭑⭑⭑🎟 Runtime: 1 hour 37 minutes PG-13

Reasons to watch it: You are a fan of Mads Mikkelson. You are familiar with Joe Penna and want to see his feature movie debut. You enjoy "survive against nature" premises with limited dialog along with trusting its audience to figure out what's happening on their own.

Reasons to avoid it: You aren't a fan of Mads Mikkelson. You dislike "survive against nature" premises with limited dialog along with trusting its audience to figure out what's happening on their own. You are sensitive to dangers presented by cold temperature.