Think âAll is Lostâ with less water and think âCastawayâ with a substantial amount of snow. Now hold that image and you have, âArctic.â The best way to describe it is by saying itâs the survival picture of all survival pictures. And the way Joe Penna shot the film made it feel incredibly realistic. In fact, allow me to pass on a word of warning⊠youâll get chills watching it. This being the case, if you see it this weekend, bring an extra sweater. It helps. On more than one occasion you might feel the urge to cuddle up to something for warmth and for strength.
The survivor weâre getting to know in this film carves âSOSâ in the snow every day. He makes it large enough so his message might be seen by a plane passing over⊠if one ever does. We see that this man is named, OvergĂ„rd (Mikkelsen). At least thatâs what we assume his name is since thatâs what the jacket he wears (provided itâs his) tells us.
There are no other survivors with him from what was obviously a plane crash but an indication he wasn’t alone when it went down. The poor man is freezing and heâs hungry. In one scene he manages to make Ramen noodles look like first-rate cuisine.
OvergĂ„rdâs been alone for what looks to be about a month or two. Having escaped death so far, he definitely knows how to take advantage of all tools available to him. These are probably skills heâs learned in Scouts, his training at work or both. He seems optimistic and to be holding onto hope that heâll be found but his eyes say that his spirit is starting to fade. The weather isnât such that he would attempt to try and walk North and possibly to safety. Instead, heâs content to stay in the valley that heâs grown accustomed to until someone comes to his rescue. He has been innovative when it comes to catching fish and out of whatâs left of the body of the plane, heâs made a little home. For what that might look like, think of the film âAlive.â Better yet, donât think of that one. Hopefully, he didnât have to eat anyone at this point.
Once you get to know OvergĂ„rd, you begin to wonder what led him to this moment. What has he already endured? Why hasnât he been found? How long has it been? Does he have someone looking for him or is it possible thereâs nothing for him to go back to? All of this is left to the imagination of the viewer and one of the reasons youâll admire the film and the performance Mikkelsen (The Three Musketeers, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) gives. What he does with little to no dialogue is a noteworthy achievement. OvergĂ„rd is tough but tender. Heâs intelligent and innocent. Heâs every hero you can perceive him to be while at the same time heâll have you wanting to leap onto the screen and help shoulder some of his burdens in the hopes you see him saved. That moment finally comes. He has a chance to be rescued. One day a helicopter flies over and sees him. For this, you will be gleeful.
Hold on! You didnât think you were going to get off that easily, did you?? No way. Due to a strong draft of wind, the helicopter is forced down. After seeing him so hopeful, itâs difficult to witness OvergĂ„rd so crushed. Thankfully, this doesnât last long because his training kicks into gear and he runs to the helicopter to see if he can help. The pilot is dead, but the female co-pilot is still alive. He gets the young woman (SmĂĄradĂłttir) out and to his plane where he begins to nurse her back to health. Sheâs so severely injured that sheâs barely hanging on but as he has had to for himself, he decides to be her rock. The helicopter proves to be a treasure of goodies. He retrieves a sled to pull her and a lighter and fuel for warmth. Desperate for company and delighted with his stash, heâs now sanguine toward making it until another helicopter shows. Surely someone will be coming after her, right? The supply from the wreckage should buy him more time until that help arrives. He finds a picture his nearly comatose patient has. From this, he learns sheâs a mother. As time ticks by, he begins to realize how dire the situation is for his new charge. So far, heâs been willing to brave the cold, the polar bears and possible death for himself. But through her returning to her family, he finds a new reason to fight and decides heâll make the trek to an outpost on foot.
