When a director decides to tackle a genre that has been dealt with many times before, comparisons to far superior films are inevitable. And so, a film like Joe Penna's "Arctic" will no doubt run the risk of being compared to its spiritual predecessors Danny Boyle's "127 Hours," J.C. Chandor's "All is Lost" and Joe Carnahan's "The Grey." That in itself already weakens it, but like all great art, if imitation can transcend or even equal its inspirations then all the better for it.
Read moreMads Mikkelsen Can’t Save The Survivor Minimalism Of ‘Arctic’
When a director decides to venture into a well-worn genre, comparisons to far superior films are inevitable. And so, a film like Joe Penna‘s feature-length directorial debut, “Arctic,” a survival drama, will no doubt run the risk of being compared to its spiritual predecessors: Danny Boyle‘s “127 Hours,” J.C. Chandor‘s “All is Lost” and Joe Carnahan‘s “The Grey.” The correlation potentially weakens the film, but like all great art, if imitation can transcend or even equal its inspirations, then all the better.
Read more‘Arctic’ Trailer: Mads Mikkelsen Survival Film Recalls ‘127 Hours,’ ‘All Is Lost’ and ‘The Grey’
In "Arctic," directed by Joe Penna, Mads Mikkelson plays Overgård, a man whose plane has crashed, leaving him stuck in the wintry landscape of Antarctica, where the extreme conditions could lead to death if help doesn’t come soon enough. Overgård clearly has solid survival skills: he transforms the plane into a warm shelter, and he concocts devices to catch fish from what is left of the plane wreckage. He’s even found a way to radio for help through a handy transmitter. However, when the rescue does finally show up though, nothing goes as planned. A turbulent snowstorm causes another plane crash with the only survivor a young woman who goes in and out of consciousness. From there, Overgård decides to head further north on a harrowing journey to reach a rescue station. Carrying the woman’s body on a sled, Overgård’s heavily-charged trek is a daunting one. Despite the beautiful natural scenery, the wintry mountains are savagely precarious and one misstep can spell doom.
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