Arctic

Name: Arctic
Genre: Adventure, Drama
Released: February 1, 2019
Duration: 98 min
Rating: 71
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maria Thelma Smáradóttir, Tintrinai Thikhasuk

2019

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 83 Ratings

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6.9

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6.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 83 Ratings

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Arctic

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Movie Details & Credits

Bleecker Street | Release Date: February 1, 2019 | PG-13

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Maria Thelma Smáradóttir, Tintrinai Thikhasuk

Summary: A man stranded in the Arctic after an airplane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown in hopes of making it out alive.

Director: Joe Penna

Genre(s): Adventure, Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 98 min

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Critic Reviews

Pat Padua

Feb 5, 2019

A thoroughly engrossing take on a familiar scenario. Read full review

Leah Greenblatt

Jan 30, 2019

Penna’s concept is hardly new, but his execution is sharp, clean, and smartly paced; a harrowing postcard from the void. Read full review

David Edelstein

Feb 1, 2019

The movie really takes your mind off your own troubles. I liked it a lot. Read full review

Lee Marshall

May 14, 2018

There’s plenty to admire in this trim, nearly dialogue-free 97-minute drama, not least Mads Mikkelsen’s raw performance as a downed airman waiting for rescue in the Arctic wastes, and the widescreen majesty of the Icelandic landscapes that stand in for the film’s polar setting. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Jan 31, 2019

Arctic is a lesson in lessness, coolly observed and warmly felt. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Feb 7, 2019

The actor offers an incredibly committed and determined performance, but by the film’s end, you wish he’d be able to get back to doing what he does best: eating. Read full review

The Playlist Jordan Ruimy

May 17, 2018

The simplicity of the film is commendable, but it’s only in the last act where things finally come together and any kind of visceral thrills arrive far too late. Even Mikkelson’s on-screen talents can’t save an admirable yet stagnant film in dire need of a heartbeat. Read full review

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User Reviews

GinaK

Feb 18, 2019

A superb film starring Mads Mikkelson that held my attention from beginning to end. The main character is “marooned” in the arctic via a small plane crash. After some time passes, a helicopter goes down nearby (while perhaps looking for him). A woman survives, but barely, and he nurses her,A superb film starring Mads Mikkelson that held my attention from beginning to end. The main character is “marooned” in the arctic via a small plane crash. After some time passes, a helicopter goes down nearby (while perhaps looking for him). A woman survives, but barely, and he nurses her, even though she is barely conscious. He finds a map in her wreckage (along with a picture of her family), and he decides to try to get her some help since she is in much worse shape than he is. He starts on a incredible journey, pulling the woman on a sled through the snow and taking care of her as best he can. This does not seem like much of a film, but Mikkelson, a great actor, makes it riveting. I won’t spoil it for you by telling you what happens on the journey or at the end, but the experience is very emotionally involving and I found myself completely enveloped by the situation, the bleak scenery, and the dire predicament of the characters. A great film, and one of the absolute best I have seen this year.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

Jeorgeson

Feb 22, 2019

Mads Mikkelsen - one of the most severe men on the planet. I imagined that this man first played Gopnik in the “Dealer” trilogy, then rose to the level of the gods, and literally got Odin in Valgalle, and then almost killed, for a minute, James Bond, and now this guy understands Kojima'sMads Mikkelsen - one of the most severe men on the planet. I imagined that this man first played Gopnik in the “Dealer” trilogy, then rose to the level of the gods, and literally got Odin in Valgalle, and then almost killed, for a minute, James Bond, and now this guy understands Kojima's stories . So that! Mikkelsen had to eat "Doshirak" in a dry breadboard. Doshirak. In dry breadcrumbs Brrr!

Lost in Ice is a kind of unique film. Remember “127 hours” - the husband was also in an extreme situation, for about ten minutes, survival is depicted, and the family is soon recalled. Urine, yes. He needs to show that he wants to survive.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

Compi24

Jun 26, 2019

A wild candidate for most underrated film of 2019 has appeared and it comes in the form of first-time feature director (and YouTube star) Joe Penna's "Arctic," an incredibly simple, yet effective parable of survival, perseverance, and the limits of the human spirit. Zipping into the heightsA wild candidate for most underrated film of 2019 has appeared and it comes in the form of first-time feature director (and YouTube star) Joe Penna's "Arctic," an incredibly simple, yet effective parable of survival, perseverance, and the limits of the human spirit. Zipping into the heights of memorability on the wings of what I'd consider Mads Mikkelsen's finest performance as an actor, this amazingly well shot and thought-out film definitely tests the thresholds at which the audience can stand to see a character suffer. It's an agonizing effort at times, but trust me when I say that the overall ride is more than worth it, not only proving the directorial talents of the first-timer in question, but the unmitigated effectiveness behind the KISS principle that he adheres to so brilliantly throughout the film's runtime.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

JLuis_001

May 16, 2019

Arctic is like '' All is Lost ''. A film rooted in the character and the environment. But here the survival is in the snow instead of the sea.

Mads Mikkelsen proves once again the good actor he is.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Berik

Oct 14, 2019

A movie about a guy that is stranded on the Arctic, presumably after he crashed there. To make matters worse, another person gets stranded with him when they crash trying to safe him. He has made himself cozy in the wreckage of an airplane and even has a few fishing spots! Though there's aA movie about a guy that is stranded on the Arctic, presumably after he crashed there. To make matters worse, another person gets stranded with him when they crash trying to safe him. He has made himself cozy in the wreckage of an airplane and even has a few fishing spots! Though there's a polar bear roaming around, he seems to be doing alright considering the circumstances. The woman that is stranded with him is badly wounded, but gets the best possible care from him. Though they are waiting, hoping for rescue, the guy suddenly makes some of the worst decisions out of nowhere.

See, guy found a map in the wreckage of woman which shows a seasonal station somewhere over some mountains. Even though this is incredibly far away, guy gets the bright idea to leave his safe shelter, infinite food supply and clear landmark to try and travel across the deadly landscape that has ice crevices, polar bears of death, blizzards and pink flowers that throw you under huge rocks!

In the end, guy and woman are (presumably) safed by a helicopter crew just as they think it is over. Let's hope this chopper doesn't crash, because the movie cuts away just like THAT! Fades to black out of nowhere. Well, it was pure damn luck, that's for sure.

Don't get me wrong, i enjoyed watching the movie. But i cringed at the following 3 mistakes made by guy:
1) He left the safety of the airplane wreckage: This seems like a really bad move. That airplane was his protection against the elements and bears, and also his Isolation from the cold. He also has several fishing spots just outside that seem to give him enough food (protein rich) to last for quite some time until rescue could find him. Leaving just seems like a really bad idea.
2) He gave up on the short route: Now i get it. He's not a power lifter and his situation probably made him exhausted, but there's no reason to give up on a shorter route when you haven't tried everything yet. Guy has to pull woman on brancard up a hill, but it is heavy! He keeps dropping the rope, and gives up! Had he looked 20° to his left, he would have spotted a large rock that he could have used to make a 'block' around. This would have prevented woman on brancard from falling, as the knot would have held her up until he grabbed the other robe to pull and then tie down too. He choose a route more then twice the length of the safest route instead! Wtf!?
3) He burned his jacket: When he sees a chopper and lights his flare, he decides to also burn is protective jacket to make the fire big, yet less visible...

In the end they got out presumably, but i can't help but feel that guy took an unnecessary risk several times. Still, it's a good movie and enjoyable to watch. I give it a 7/10.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Tyranian

Jul 10, 2019

A survival movie that does just enough differently to be worthy of existence. Great visually and musically.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Broyax

Mar 18, 2020

Malgré le toujours excellent Mikkelsen (il n'y peut rien le pauvre, il est bon partout, quoi qu'il arrive, y compris quand il se gèle le cul) malgré ce sacré Mads donc, ce film-catastrophe de survie dans l'enfer glacé s'avère vraiment... catastrophique.

En étant déjà très indulgent, on peutMalgré le toujours excellent Mikkelsen (il n'y peut rien le pauvre, il est bon partout, quoi qu'il arrive, y compris quand il se gèle le cul) malgré ce sacré Mads donc, ce film-catastrophe de survie dans l'enfer glacé s'avère vraiment... catastrophique.

En étant déjà très indulgent, on peut tenir presque une heure sans trop regarder l'heure ou le temps qu'il fait, ce qui n'est -déjà- pas si mal me dira-t-on mais on s'emmerde quand même un peu trop là-dedans, si vous voulez mon avis !

Le pîre, c'est qu'il reste une bonne grosse demi-heure, générique mis à part, durant laquelle on continue de s'emmerder... malgré le grand Danois qui continue de se geler les couilles. Mais il y a pire que s'emmerder à ce point cependant... il y a aussi dans ce film des incohérences, des invraisemblances assez monstrueuses qu'on peut enfiler comme des perles et en faire un collier entier... tu le veux, mon collier d'incohérences ? tiens, c'est cadeau !

En bref, c'est pas complètement nul à chier mais presque !… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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