On the Ice
Silverwood Films | Release Date: February 17, 2012 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
59
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews
Positive:
5
Mixed:
7
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
The A.V. ClubAlison WillmoreFeb 15, 2012
The performances, all from non-professional local actors, are noticeably uneven, but the film is as much a portrait of a place as it is a narrative, and cinematographer Lol Crawley shoots the white-on-white polar expanses like they're vistas stretching to the ends of the earth-which in a way, they are. Read full review
80
Arizona RepublicBill GoodykoontzMar 29, 2012
It is an offbeat gem. Read full review
80
Village VoiceBrian MillerFeb 14, 2012
On the Ice is a marvel of concentrated, classical storytelling. The flat, snowy landscape strips away all but the essentials from its tale. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger EbertFeb 23, 2012
This is an uncommonly involving thriller. I could call it a film noir, except that the sun never sets in the film. That makes a perfect contrast with the only other feature filmed in Barrow, the vampire movie "30 Days of Night" (2007), in which it never rises. Read full review
65
NPRElla TaylorFeb 21, 2012
In most respects, On the Ice is the kind of straight-ahead, underprivileged-teen drama beloved of Sundance audiences. Read full review
60
Wall Street JournalJohn AndersonFeb 16, 2012
Writer-director Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, who in his feature debut has lashed together a sturdy vehicle for unadorned morality and pragmatic justice. Read full review
50
Chicago ReaderJ.R. JonesFeb 23, 2012
Film noir has seldom been so blanc. Read full review
50
New York PostSara StewartFeb 17, 2012
Barrow's frozen vistas are a perfect match for the noir tone of On the Ice. Unfortunately, the emotional landscape of MacLean's stoic main character, Qalli, is often as blank as the tundra. Read full review
50
Slant MagazineKenji FujishimaFeb 16, 2012
The moral dilemmas in On the Ice ultimately fail to resonate, Qalli's concluding plea for his flawed humanity coming off as strangely hollow. Read full review
50
The New York TimesJeannette CatsoulisFeb 16, 2012
Glinting white vistas and endless light blanket On the Ice, a frigid drama that's tough to warm up to. Read full review
40
New York Daily NewsJoe NeumaierFeb 16, 2012
If "Ice" never really solidifies, it's nonetheless the work of a filmmaker whose seriousness is worth watching out for. Read full review
40
Time OutDavid FearFeb 14, 2012
More than a moral dilemma is needed to make up for the uneven performances, slack pacing and wonky dialogue, and while MacLean certainly has a keen eye, the rest of his storytelling facilities haven't quite caught up with it yet. Read full review
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