Arctic (2018) User Reviews (465)

Mikkelsen towers over the rather basic script, adds a memorable layer to his character! [+70%]

[arungeorge13 · 7/10 · 25 April 2019]

Arctic is for a good part, a solo survival thriller centered around the character of Overgård who has been trying to make it out of the frozen Arctic after his plane crashed. This is one of those movies that focuses almost entirely on a single character with minimal dialogue. Much is conveyed through the body language and facial expressions of Overgård, played by the brilliant Mads Mikkelsen.

It's a grim but stunningly icy atmosphere that Joe Penna chooses to set his protagonist in, and we clearly know that it's not going to be easy to sit through. Overgård has been surviving on Arctic fish, trying his best to send out signals to any possible rescuers, and he doesn't know of an escape route (yet!). When supposed help does arrive, it only worsens the situation (watch the movie to know more!). Joe Penna wants us to witness the perseverance of his lead character by putting him through scenarios that get increasingly difficult each time. By doing so, he creates a spectacle that's minimalist but superbly effective.

Overgård's struggles make us want to forget our own for a good 90 minutes, and Mikkelsen, the fantastic performer that he is, ensures that his efforts remain worth the discussion later on. The dramatics are barely there; it all plays out so real that when Mikkelsen heaves 'essential baggage' up a snowy hill, we heave along with him. When he sheds a tear, we shed a tear along with him. And when an actor achieves this feat by getting to mouth barely any lines, that speaks volumes of his performance.

While watching 'Arctic', one cannot help but recall other popular survival drama/thrillers such as 'Cast Away', 'All Is Lost', and '127 Hours' and how each of these movies has had strong protagonists who we wanted to root for. Overgård can be added to this list without question. The cinematic hook here is how he decides not to let go of his humanity while making his way through the frosty surroundings. That said, the film does rely a little too much on the machismo of Mikkelsen and never rises above its basic, straightforward screenplay (there's no solid backstory attributed to Overgård and how he ended up there in the first place).

Nonetheless, Arctic is one of the better survival films that you'll have come across in recent memory. It'll make you want to stay off a diet that has fish in it; maybe even keep you away from air-conditioning for a little while. Arctic is, by all means, essential viewing!

A survival story - but more than that

[Heiwako · 8/10 · 22 September 2019]

I can see the opinions are very mixed on this one. Some people find it boring, I think it's because they don't understand the meaning of the story. Though it starts out as a typical survival story, trying to stay alive in a ruthless Arctic environment, it is ultimately not about that. When he rescues a woman from the crashed helicopter, brings her into his shelter and is about to lay her down on his bed, he pauses for a few seconds, just holding her close to him - that is when we understand that he's been stranded there for a long time craving human companionship. After that moment it's no longer just a survival story but a story about every human's worst fear - dying alone.

Great survival drama

[grantss · 8/10 · 26 July 2020]

After his plane crashes in the frozen Arctic, the solo pilot initially decides to stay with his plane. However, after a rescue attempt fails he is left with a badly injured person to care for, and she needs medical attention urgently. He decides to set out, with his patient, for the nearest likely source of help.

Great survival drama. Well told story by a writer-director, Joe Penna, who clearly respects the intelligence of his audience. No spoon-feeding of information, no easy outs, no unnecessary scenes. Good character engagement as we follow the adventures of the two stranded people, see their efforts to get to where they're going and will them on. The resourcefulness of Mads Mikkelsen's character helps too as you don't want all that effort and ingenuity wasted.

On that note, Mads Mikkelsen is great in the lead role. There's not much dialogue but he brings an unspoken empathy to his character, as he cares for the second person. That's one of the great things about the movie too, as it also makes you wonder what you would do in a similar situation.

Great film.

Borrowed my Stolen

[juliawsc · 13 July 2018]

This survival movie consisted of many many elements of other survival movies we've seen such as Cast Away and 127 hours but it felt new. I couldn't pin point why the movie didn't feel boring or overdone even though I'd seen some of the plot point before. It all lies in Mads Mikkleson's character. In every other movie we watch and cringe at the survivalist doing everything wrong but pushing on in spite of it. In Arctic, Mads does everything right. He clearly has survival training and is putting his knowledge to good use. He should be able to get help no problem, but despite all his efforts, it's the world that keeps tearing him down, not his ignorance as we see in so many other survival movies. We route for him and grieve when it doesn't go his way because we know he's doing absolutely everything by the book but it's just not going his way.

It's also incredible how Mads says the same few sentences over and over and it means something different every time he says it. There's so much emotion and meaning behind his few words.

Mads Mikkelsen almost solo but still enjoyable to watch.

[deloudelouvain · 7/10 · 28 April 2019]

If you want to watch a movie with alot of people then skip this one as there are only two actors, Mads Mikkelsen and Maria Thelma Smáradóttir. If you want great conversations then you can skip it also as it's only Mads Mikkelsen that speaks a word every now and then. But if you like survival movies, man against nature, if you like great scenic shots (okay it's the arctic so it's white but nonetheless it's beautiful) then this movie is worth watching. The biggest reason for that is Mads Mikkelsen, he did an excellent job (like usual) playing his character. And even if there are only two actors and not much interaction it still remains enjoyable to watch as there is that constant suspense of two desperate human beings balancing between life and death. I like survival movies, it always makes me think about what I would do if it was me stuck there.

Bleak Yet Inspiring

[sddavis63 · 7/10 · 23 September 2019]

It's not every movie that can manage to feel bleak and hopeless, and yet at the same time be inspiring and beautiful - but "Arctic" pulls off that difficult and unusual combination superbly. It's a very simple story, and the basic plot has been done before. Mads Mikkelsen plays the lone survivor of a plane crash in the Arctic. He's set up the shell of the plane as a makeshift survival camp, he fishes and he eats them raw, and he falls asleep and wakes up and does it again. I have to confess that the beginning of the movie was a bit of a weak point for me. It started too abruptly. There was no introduction to the character Mikkelsen was playing, no explanation of how long he had been in this situation. The movie simply opens - and he's just there. I would have liked a little bit more information than that. But Mikkelsen's portrayal of this character did draw me into the story. There's little in it that's particularly exciting - it's just the very real and raw struggle of this man to survive; it's a testimony to the human will to survive even seemingly impossible situations. The movie picks up a bit of a spark with the introduction of a second character - a young woman who survives the crash of what I assume was a helicopter sent to rescue Overgard (Mikkelsen's character's name.) She's badly injured, and Overgard becomes her nurse and companion, desperately trying to keep her alive, and finally deciding that he needs to try to hike out of this situation, dragging the young woman on a sled behind him.

The rugged barrenness of the Arctic landscape (this was filmed in Iceland) is beautiful and haunting - and it definitely adds to the hopeless feeling of the movie. Mikkelsen does a good job as Overgard. For a movie with very little dialogue between the only two characters, I thought there was a wonderful sense of that mysterious thing called chemistry between Mikkelsen and Icelandic actress Maria Thelma as the woman Overgard commits to saving. You can catch elements of other movies that influenced this story. I had thoughts of both "Alive" and "127 Hours" as I watched this. You can add pretty much any other survival type movie you can think of. So this isn't particularly original or unique, and I have to confess that a part of me really didn't want to like this for some reason. And yet it drew me in. It kept my attention. I wanted to see how this was going to end up. Mikkelsen's character - sacrificing so much and caring so much about the life of this young woman - was, indeed, inspiring.

As the beginning of the movie was rather abrupt, so too was the end of the movie. The ending was too sudden, and we learned nothing of the ultimate fate of the two characters. I've also seen so-called "survivalists" criticizing the decisions Overgard made - but not everyone is a survivalist. Perhaps Overgard simply wasn't, and made the best decisions he could in the face of impossible circumstances for which he wasn't really prepared. This is a good movie. I'd rate it as a 7/10.

Mads against nature

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 16 April 2019]

Overgård (Mads Mikkelsen) is the sole survivor of a plane crash in the remote arctic. He survives by ice fishing and careful management. A rescue helicopter finds him but it also crashes in a wind gust. He manages to save the young female co-pilot. She's wounded and barely conscious. As the medical supply dwindle, he decides to trek to a nearby seasonal camp with the wounded woman in tow.

Mads is one of the great actors of today. It's basically a solo role. It's man against nature. My only issue is that I don't believe the trek is a higher percentage play than simply staying at his location. He could have tried to salvage the radio on the helicopter. It makes more sense to wait for rescue. One would think the locals would be more driven to find one of their own. A last ditch effort would be him setting off by himself. It's too hard to drag a person around. The movie also doesn't explain the distance and the resources of that supposed camp. It's a hope and a prayer without telling the audience what or where is salvation. Above all the questions is Mads' performance. He is undeniable.

Mads Mikkelsen's excellent performance!

[tolunayd22 · 6/10 · 16 October 2019]

A film that gives the feeling of survival beautifully. Mads Mikkelsen's acting is enormous. The shots are very successful. The script is weak. Mads Mikkelsen and shooting quality saves the film. It's a little awkward that most things repeat themselves. So there's no difference. End of the film is very cliché.

⭐ 100/67

Great movie- horrible ending!

[Debbie-Arriero · 6/10 · 17 August 2019]

Great build up during movie, then 2 second ending! Horrible! They could have done so much more!

NEVER FLY TO THE ARCTIC

[Warren_Scott-55087 · 8/10 · 5 July 2019]

I GOT A HERNIA, A SLIPPED DISK, A TORN ACL AND FROSTBITE ON MOST OF MY EXTREMITIES, WATCHING THIS ARDUOUS JOURNEY OF A FIGHT FOR LIFE. MADS GIVES AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN THIS MOVIE AND I HOPE HE NOR HIS CO-STAR GOT PAID BY THE WORD

Great Survival Story

[SantaCruzReviews · 7/10 · 12 March 2019]

Fantastic movie. Very engaging from start to finish. Mads conveyed a wide range of emotions with such believability, it could've been a documentary. However, the writers were able to script such depth in reguards to the value of human connection, valuing life and fighting for survival with every ounce of the human spirit. Mads Mikkelson is a master at non-verbally displaying and conveying deep human emotion and intense suffering. The only question the viewer is left to ponder is.... did the characters ever go poo and pee?

SLOW BURNER.

[andrewchristianjr · 8/10 · 11 April 2020]

This is one of those movies where afterwards you have to just sit and chill. It is very intense, in a real "slow burner" kind of way. For a movie with only about a coupe dozen spoken words, this is astonishingly well done.

Maria Thelma Smáradóttir steals the show!

[bigervin · 7/10 · 23 April 2019]

While Mads provides a great performance as usual, Maria absolutely nails her role. It's like she was born to play this part. The scene where she opened her eyes a little and then closed them again had me on the edge of my seat. Not to get too far ahead of myself, but this may generate some award season buzz.

So sit back and enjoy the ride, just like Maria's character did.

so disappointed

[mooveefan-87188 · 5/10 · 29 November 2019]

I saw the previews for this film and it looked so intriguing, I just had to see it. For some reason I just loved it at first. Even though all Overgard did was check his fishing line, turn a crank, etc., it was compelling and interesting seeing him in this strict routine, trying to make it until he was rescued. Once the helicopter crashes, it just slowly loses something for me. I didn't understand why he would leave where he was, being as the helicopter had JUST crashed there. So every time something happened, like not being able to get the girl up that hill, I was telling the TV "that's why you should have stayed where you were at." It was frustrating. The movie was too much and at the same time not enough. Getting the girl to safety seemed to be the motivating factor, but the wound didnt seem to serious at the beginning and he rarely checked it until he decided to leave her. And come on!!! You have a potential rescue right in front of you and you throw yourself down the hill to go get this girl, when you could have taken off toward the rescuers and lead them back to her??? Him resigning himself to dying and her also dying after all he put himself through to get her possibly rescued...and then having the helicopter land behind them, fell flat. It would have been a better ending to have them seen right off and rescued or not being seen at all and dying.

Mads Mikkelsen At His Best

[CinemaClown · 9 September 2019]

Patient, persistent & poignant in just the right doses, and powered by Mads Mikkelsen's effortlessly evocative performance, Arctic is one of the best films about a man stranded in the wilderness that's crafted with restraint, told with finesse & is incessantly captivating from start to finish. A promising debut for its first-time filmmaker, and another impressive addition to the Danish actor's oeuvre.

Frustrating Screenplay For Any Survivalist...Or Person With Basic Common Sense

[Airman87 · 6/10 · 16 August 2019]

Water, shelter, food - the three most important elements to survival. While short on dialogue, this film offers more than enough details for the viewer to establish the structure: Our protagonist has crashed in the artic and is awaiting rescue, with all three survival elements present. He has water from snow melt, shelter in the airplane fuselage, and a very sustainable supply of food (ice fishing).

***Spoilers*** The first outside contact comes via a rescue helicopter. In the real world, after about two weeks any search party is called off, so we can surmise the protagonist has not been crashed and lost longer than two weeks. The film reaches first climax when said rescue helicopter discovers our hero, only to crash after a windstorm arrives. After our protagonist rescues the lone helicopter crash survivor, does our hero once try using the helicopter's radio or try salvaging it? Nope. Instead our protagonist doubles down on the stupidity and tries to hike out back to civilization - with an unconscious person in tow via dog sled! Why would he choose to leave all the basic survival needs he has? And more importantly, why leave when you know civilization is now going to be sending a new search and rescue party for both you and the newly crashed helicopter? This type of bad decision making ultimately leaves any halfway educated viewer frustrated, with the film's ending feeling undeserved.

Great movie - horrible ending!

[Debbie-Arriero · 6/10 · 17 August 2019]

Great story-line and build up, only to have a 2 minute ending. They could have wrapped it up so much better!

My Biggest Issue: NOT Getting to Know the Characters

[papreppergal · 7/10 · 20 January 2021]

Worst part about this film?

We never get to know the characters - their former lives leading up to being stranded in the Arctic, life after rescue, did the woman make it home to her family, what happened to the main character guy? Was he a hero? Did he give interviews and describe his heroic story?

Otherwise, although there wasn't much dialog and some of it was in another language & presented on screen, it was a darn good movie.

You knew at some point certain things would happen with a movie like this: a lack of food, lack of water, animal attack, all hope lost, injuries, damsel in distress, navigation issues, life & death decisions, unforeseen challenges that need problem solved, ...... but that's all to be expected.

So, sit back, enjoy the adventure for what it is cause this certainly wasn't a bad movie. I just wanted a clear beginning & end to the whole story!

Did they become friends? Did they even survive, for sure? What do they have in common before or after? What drives the main character to do all he did for this unknown woman - does he have a daughter, a family?? Is that his inspiration? Or does he just WISH he had a family?

SHE had a family photo... did he? 🤷‍♀️ Did I miss that part??

Movie for every sense you have

[v-ley · 7/10 · 8 July 2019]

I loved the acting, the scenery and the dialogue. Mads was excellent. He siad pretty much the same thing over and over again,but each time they had a different meaning and you,as the viewer, could tell. A very under rated movie and I hope most will take the time and watch. It is so worth it.

Mads Mikklesson at his very best!

[aramt-07935 · 7/10 · 28 June 2019]

Mads Mikklesson at his very best!He has such an incredible emotional range,that even without talking,Valhalla rising,he can project all his struggles and feelings. Very good movie!

Being human

[HeroMgmt · 8/10 · 4 August 2018]

I went to see Arctic for only one reason: Mads Mikkelsen. I could be called a fangirl, to be honest, I don't mind. He has an incredible skill and even better personality (or at least "public personality"). He is humble and gives his whole heart to each project he participates in. No matter if it's a small film by an unknown director or a huge blockbuster from Marvel or Star Wars franchise. And when you hear him talking about it, the perception changes completely.

I used to love Mads for his Hannibal, but my true appreciation came after The Hunt and knowing how much he differs from both of the characters. And what was very important to me, he decided not to go into method acting. He wanted to stay himself for his family. So no matter how he loves his job, he didn't want to make the choice between that and the life of a husband and a father. After the introduction, I feel obliged to say why I made this fangirl's ode. Arctic is a one-actor film. Apart from a very small role of an unknown Thai actress, Mads Mikkelsen was the only face we follow for over one and a half hour. I couldn't have thought of any better choice for that challenge. Mads' face can show volumes of feelings which I don't believe mine can. He can tell everything without words and this was the magic of Arctic.

The story focuses on a pilot whose plane crashed somewhere close to the North Pole. Through his routine, he wants to establish a connection with civilization. He clears his SOS sign, he catches fish and tries to charge a radio with the strength of his muscles. He spends every hour doing exactly what he planned to increase the chances of being rescued. But then his survival routine changes because of yet another plane crash. A Thai woman survived it but she got an ugly wound and is now sick. She can't leave the bed, she's barely conscious so he decides to save her by any means necessary.

The film itself couldn't differ much from any other survival one. Human survival in difficult habitat isn't a very broad subject and I strongly believe that cinema explored all of these emotions at least a thousand times. The art lies in expression and creating the atmosphere of empathy. Thoughts of what I would do in such a situation bugged me for the entire film and long afterwards. The reflection of humanity and our ethics was told by almost silent film and it stuck me with questions I believed I'd known answers to.

Meanwhile, it made me appreciate the beauty of the icy landscapes. The cinematography work was very thorough, especially since they were shooting while the snow was melting. All these icebergs were magnificent and mesmerizing. They composed perfectly with the music by Joseph Trapanesse (known from The Greatest Showman, Oblivion or Straight Outta Compton).

To be honest there's nothing more I could say that won't feel at least blunt. It is hard to describe feelings, especially the ones which are shown, not told. This film has the magic of the story about how to be true to oneself and how to love one another, no matter how hard the situation becomes.

A simple yet fascinating survival story

[adamonIMDb · 7/10 · 26 January 2020]

For a film with such a simple story and such little dialogue, 'Arctic' is successful at holding your attention throughout thanks to its compelling and well-told storyline. I initially thought this film was based on a true story - not sure why - but the fact I did probably shows how authentic and realistic 'Arctic' feels. It's a proper survival story without any Hollywood gloss.

The cinematography in 'Arctic' is excellent, capturing the stunning Arctic landscapes perfectly. It looks great and the bleak setting really adds to the mood of the film. Mads Mikkelsen is once again very impressive as the main (and for the most part only) character in the film.

'Arctic' is definitely worth watching - an all-round very good survival film that benefits from the simplicity of its plot. Well-made, well-acted and has no trouble in holding your attention from start to finish.

Excellent!

[FrenchEddieFelson · 8/10 · 20 February 2019]

A great movie about resilience and our hypothetical ability to survive in a hostile environment. The film is captivating: you will be cold, you will be scared, you will be hungry, you will be exhausted, even within the cushioned armchair of your favorite movie theater. And Mads Mikkelsen is excellent, as usual.

Great acting and some cliches...

[meaneye-rcf · 7/10 · 2 October 2019]

Acting here is top notch and actors really sold me on idea of people forgotten far away. Even though some parts of the movie feel like time is painfully slow I think that is, at least in part, intentional.

All that said, 3rd act of was so predictable and filled with cliches it made me want to speed through it. There were some holes in the plot as well, but nothing too glaring. All in all, I feel the ending was a missed opportunity and it made otherwise great movie feel unfinished.

To be realistic, though, this is incredibly strong for a first feature film and I hope he keeps making movies and perfecting his directing skills.

Far from dramatic

[klapka · 5/10 · 30 April 2019]

Mads' solid performance and the scenery are the reasons I didn't quit watching this movie.

Arctic temp. Go way below 30-40 degrees Celsius (depending North or South), so how a person can withstand so many nights just sleeping outside in the severe storm without any source of warmth?

And the ending... in a such 'hollywoodian' style!

Could've been way better.

5 out of 10 from my side.